ZENITH Zodiak 601 HDS

Full Narrative

On July 24, 2026, about 1422 central daylight time, a Zenith Zodiac 601HDS experimental airplane, N27601, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Sioux City, Iowa. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The multi-leg visual flight rules (VFR) cross country flight departed from the Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with a final destination in Colorado.
At 1236 on the day of the accident, ADS-B data showed the airplane departed the Pocahontas Municipal Airport (KPOH), Pocahontas, Iowa, on a southwesterly flight track. Upon reaching the vicinity of Holstein, Iowa, the airplane then flew west parallelling U.S. Highway 20 in the direction of Sioux City, Iowa. About 3 miles short of the U.S. Highway 20/75 intersection, the airplane began to track to the northwest, eventually turned north, and began climbing. After flying north, the airplane entered a right turn and descended until the last recorded data point which was located about a half mile southeast of the accident site.
The airplane was found in about 6 to 8 feet of water in a man-made lake near the shoreline. The vegetation along the shoreline on the side of the accident site, as well as the bank opposite the accident site about 80 to100 feet away, was intact with no indication of having been struck by the accident airplane. The main wing spar remained intact along its length but from the main landing gear outward on both sides, the wing structure and wing skins showed aft crushing and had mostly separated from the spar. The fuselage was deformed 90° from the wing spar. The instrument panel, firewall, and engine separated from the front of the airplane and were located underneath and near the area the main wreckage came to rest. Upper engine cowling and windscreen fragments were scattered across the shoreline and a yard beyond the water.
Divers and a local towing company were able to remove the airplane from the water. The major components of the airplane were present. Flight control cable continuity was established for the ailerons, rudder, and elevators. A visual inspection of the engine did not reveal any signs of a catastrophic engine failure. The wreckage was moved to a secure location for further examination.
According to KPOH personnel, the pilot purchased 14.7 gallons of 100 low lead fuel before departing. At the accident site, fuel sheen was present on the water and oil was present in the water during the recovery of the engine.
The National Weather Service (NWS) Area Forecast Discussion issued by the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Weather Forecast Office at 1209 on the day of the accident reported instrument flight rules (IFR) to marginal instrument flight rules (MVFR) conditions would slowly improve through midafternoon.
On the day of the accident around 1500, another pilot was flying west about 75 miles south of the accident pilot. He reported that conditions were worse than forecast, and he had to divert to avoid instrument meteorological conditions. He landed at an alternate airport and ended up driving home.
A review of FAA records showed the pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land, but no instrument rating. The pilot, who was the airplane owner, built the airplane and he held a repairman experimental aircraft builder certificate for the airplane.