The pilot reported that he had just purchased the Zenith Zodiac 601XL and was in the process of flying it to Texas.
He did not have any flight time in the make and model of airplane.
He reported that, shortly after takeoff from Runway 24 at Cuchara Valley Airport (07V) in La Veta, Colorado, when the airplane was about 400 to 500 feet AGL, the engine lost all power, and he placed the airplane in a glide.
When the airplane was about 100 feet AGL it stalled and hit the ground, coming to rest inverted. The fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage.
The pilot and passenger received minor injuries.
The previous owner, who had just sold the airplane to the pilot, was present when the accident happened. He said that he did not believe the accident was the result of a loss of engine power and that the wind at the time was about 35 to 40 knots with gusts.
He told investigators that he tried to persuade the pilot to delay taking the airplane until another day when the wind was more favorable, but the pilot and his passenger were determined to leave that day.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s decision to fly the airplane in which he had no experience in strong, gusting wind, which resulted his failure to maintain proper airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.
NTSB Identification: 106865
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This March 2023 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
