This report is compiled from the cited public sources and updated when verified information becomes available.
A single-engine Zenith airplane crashed in northwest Iowa on July 24, 2026, killing its sole occupant. The aircraft was found submerged near Lawton after a search that involved the pilot’s family and local authorities.
Reference image: Zenith N27601 involved in Lawton Iowa crash. This shows the same reported aircraft model and is not the accident aircraft or crash scene.
What happened near Lawton, Iowa
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that a Zenith CH-64 crashed in the Sioux City area at approximately 7:30 p.m. local time on Friday, July 24. Only the pilot was aboard. Local reporting later identified the aircraft as registration N27601 and said it was located in water near Lawton, east of Sioux City.
KTIV reported that relatives traveled from Colorado and participated in the search after the airplane did not arrive as expected. Authorities identified the pilot as 64-year-old Dennis Elkins of Erie, Colorado.
Aircraft and investigation status
Public aircraft records identify N27601 as an experimental Zenith Zodiac 601HDS. The FAA’s initial statement described the aircraft as a Zenith CH-64. Those descriptions will be reconciled as investigators publish formal records. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating, with the NTSB leading the inquiry.
No probable cause has been released. Investigators will examine the aircraft, weather, flight path, pilot information and other evidence before reaching conclusions about why the airplane went down.
Featured image: The aircraft involved in the Lawton accident before the crash. Image credit: KTIV.
Zenith CH 64 is not a helicopter. It is a low wing, all metal tri-gear that usually has an 0-360 powering it.