N715AK – ARNOLD ZODIAC CH 650 – 2015-02-27 NTSB Accident Report

On February 27, 2015, a Arnold ZODIAC CH 650 (N715AK) was involved in an incident near Greeley, CO. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot was unable to maintain directional control during the landing due to the foreign object that lodged behind the rudder.

The pilot had recently purchased the experimental amateur-built airplane. He was flying with a flight instructor to gain flight experience in the airplane. The pilot reported that he had made a normal left hand pattern and approach to the runway. During the flare, he attempted to maneuver the airplane to the right using aileron and right rudder inputs. The pilot said that the rudder would not move and he focused on the rudder problem. The airplane rolled out on the runway in a "sideways motion," the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose down on the runway. After exiting the airplane, the pilot and instructor observed an auxiliary electrical plug had lodged behind the right rudder pedal and had jammed it.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN15CA159. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N715AK.