Zenair Pilot May Hold the Record: Zero Feet Forward

An ANN Reader from the area told us that this one was for the record books.

Apparently, the pilot lost power on a go-around, and started to settle, coming to ultimate rest in a clump of poplar trees that were inconveniently in his way. The airplane stopped flying altogether, as the branches snagged one part of the airframe after another, and the STOL bird descended, in full-vertical mode, finally stopping literally inches from the ground.

The uninjured pilot climbed out, hopping the last foot or so to the ground. "Looks like I'm going to have to build another airplane," he reportedly said, surveying the scene after the super-short landing.

**   Report created 10/22/2003   Record 2  **
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 7014US        Make/Model: CH70      Description: CH-701 ZENITH STOL
  Date: 10/16/2003     Time: 2300
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
  City: BRUSSELS                    State: WI   Country: US
DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON GO AROUND, EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEMS AND AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO THE TREES, BRUSSELS, WI
INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:  1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
WEATHER: METAR KGRB 162253Z 27007KT 10SM CLR SKC 08/M03 A3011
OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Unknown      Operation: General Aviation
  Departed: BRUSSELS, WI                Dep Date: 10/16/2003   Dep. Time: 2240
  Destination: BRUSSELS, WI             Flt Plan: NONE         Wx Briefing: N
  Last Radio Cont: NONE
  Last Clearance: NONE
  FAA FSDO: MILWAUKEE, WI  (GL13)                 Entry date: 10/21/2003

FMI: www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20031017X01760&key=1