NTSB Identification: CEN12FA217
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, March 30, 2012 in Belmont, OH
Aircraft: OLIVER JOSEPH ZODIAC CH 601XL, registration: N8060J
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On March 30, 2012, about 1840 eastern daylight time, a kit built Zodiac CH 601XL, N8060J, impacted terrain after a loss of control during cruise flight near Belmont, Ohio. The commercial rated pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to the Wings of Hope, Chesterfield, Missouri, and operated by a private individual. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 cross country flight.

Initial statements from witnesses, to the responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, state that the airplane was in cruise flight, when the airplane altitude changed slightly, then nosed over and came straight down.

The airplane impacted a yard near a residential home. After an initial documentation of the accident site, the wreckage was moved to a nearby airport for further examination.

Preliminary review of radar data reveals the airplane heading westbound, with the last radar return at 1840, with the airplane at 3,200 feet.

The Zodiac CH 601XL and CH650 were subject to Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) CE-10-08, dated November 7, 2009, that identified a concern with regards to the airplane’s wing structure. To address the SAIB, the kit manufacturer provided a wing upgrade modification package for builders/owners to incorporate into their airplanes.

Examination of the accident airplane revealed that wing modification had been accomplished. Further examination of the airframe revealed that the airplane did not exhibit the flutter or structural signatures that were identified in airplanes that brought about the SAIB.

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