Narrative:

I have completed a zodiac CH601XL; built from a kit. I have not flown my airplane because I do not know how my airplane flies. I need someone in the airplane with me to guide me and to keep me out of trouble. Since my airplane has not flown off the phase I required time; I can't legally have another person in the cockpit. I haven't sought out and flown with an instructor in another 601XL; because I simply can't afford the cost. Knowing this; mr. X offered to let me fly his 601XL to find out how a 601XL flies and to become comfortable enough fly solo in my airplane. Even in his airplane; I still needed another person in the airplane to guide me and to keep me out of trouble. I felt that his offer fulfilled those needs and I was trusting him to fulfill those needs. A major difference in our airplanes - my airplane has dual control sticks and the 601XL has a center located 'Y' control stick. I have only flown with left hand on yoke or stick; right hand on throttle; but never right hand on 'Y' stick; left hand on throttle. In july 2009 mr. X invited me to go flying. We took off at about noon and landed at our destination with mr. X flying. Mr. X flew on circuit to show me how he does it. I got in the left seat and mr. X in the right. He did give me excellent guidance; but he failed his assumed obligation (to both of us) to keep me out of trouble. This airplane doesn't handle like any other airplane I have flown; including a factory amd 601 xli; and it is very pitch sensitive. I had made three circuits; all with hard landings. The next to the last landing was especially hard; and bounced. Had I been in his position; I would have been concerned enough to call things off. He didn't and in fact encouraged me to keep going. The last landing approach went very badly from the start. Mr. X could have (and should have) taken control of the airplane away from me. We will never know why; but he didn't. I think we stalled about eight feet above the runway; hit very hard; bounced and came down nose low. The impact broke the nose gear strut loose from its attachment; bent the firewall and fuselage floor a little and shattered the carbon fiber propeller. Neither of us was injured.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A pilot in a Zodiac CH601XL described his first series of familiarization landings with the aircraft's owner on board that culminated in a hard landing. The airframe was bent and the propeller broken.

Narrative: I have completed a Zodiac CH601XL; built from a kit. I have not flown my airplane because I do not know how my airplane flies. I need someone in the airplane with me to guide me and to keep me out of trouble. Since my airplane has not flown off the phase I required time; I can't legally have another person in the cockpit. I haven't sought out and flown with an instructor in another 601XL; because I simply can't afford the cost. Knowing this; Mr. X offered to let me fly his 601XL to find out how a 601XL flies and to become comfortable enough fly solo in my airplane. Even in his airplane; I still needed another person in the airplane to guide me and to keep me out of trouble. I felt that his offer fulfilled those needs and I was trusting him to fulfill those needs. A major difference in our airplanes - my airplane has dual control sticks and the 601XL has a center located 'Y' control stick. I have only flown with left hand on yoke or stick; right hand on throttle; but never right hand on 'Y' stick; left hand on throttle. In July 2009 Mr. X invited me to go flying. We took off at about noon and landed at our destination with Mr. X flying. Mr. X flew on circuit to show me how he does it. I got in the left seat and Mr. X in the right. He did give me excellent guidance; but he failed his assumed obligation (to both of us) to keep me out of trouble. This airplane doesn't handle like any other airplane I have flown; including a factory AMD 601 XLI; and it is very pitch sensitive. I had made three circuits; all with hard landings. The next to the last landing was especially hard; and bounced. Had I been in his position; I would have been concerned enough to call things off. He didn't and in fact encouraged me to keep going. The last landing approach went very badly from the start. Mr. X could have (and should have) taken control of the airplane away from me. We will never know why; but he didn't. I think we stalled about eight feet above the runway; hit very hard; bounced and came down nose low. The impact broke the nose gear strut loose from its attachment; bent the firewall and fuselage floor a little and shattered the carbon fiber propeller. Neither of us was injured.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.