Ogden-Hinckley Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ogden, Utah 84405
Saturday, March 21, 1998 7:33 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was cleared to runway 03 to perform a high speed taxi. He reportedly told the tower controller that 'if things feel right,' he would fly. The pilot said he attained approximately 80 miles per hour, 'pulled back slowly on the yoke and experienced a sudden nose pitch up. I must have pushed down on the yoke and the nose came down,' and the airplane struck the runway. The airplane began porpoising before striking the runway again and collapsing the nose landing gear. The airplane then skidded to a stop. The pilot said he had placed 90 pounds of lead ballast in the nose area to simulate the weight of a passenger. According to an FAA inspector, the ballast should have been placed in the passenger seat to correctly simulate a passenger on board.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the improper placement of lead ballast by the pilot, resulting in an improper balance of the airplane; and the pilot's excessive control input to correct a nose high attitude, resulting in ground impact.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/21/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 733
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City OGDEN
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84405
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OGDEN-HINCKLEY MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OGD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4470
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 730 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID OGD
Elevation of weather observation facility 4470
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 27000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 4173
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 45
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 21 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 748
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 10:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N669Z
NTSB Number FTW98LA155
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Zito
Aircraft Model ZMI-A
Aircraft Series Identifier ZMI-A
Aircraft Serial Number ZMI-1
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 2 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 1
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TOMMY E. ZITO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5194 S. 1950 W
Aircraft Owner City ROY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84067
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code OGD
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 733
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code OGD
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 8103
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --