# Accident 19980926032109A: Bbavia 7EC, Catoosa, OK, September 26, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 26, 1998, 08:53 local time
- Place: Catoosa, OK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Practice Training Manuevers
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.1802° N, 95.7608° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1802&lon=-95.7608&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9098B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9098B-2013-05-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Champion 7EC (registry code 21101NM, https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7ec) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C90 series (registry code 17009, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BBAVIA 7EC
- Reported engine: CONT C9016F
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA409](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA409) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980926032109A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1998, AT 0853 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CHAMPION 7EC TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE, N9098B, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR CATOOSA, OKLAHOMA. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE SAM RIGGS FLYING SERVICE, INC., OF CLAREMORE, OKLAHOMA, UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR LOCAL FLIGHT FOR WHICH A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE SAM RIGGS AIRPARK (K11) NEAR CLAREMORE, OKLAHOMA, AT APPROXIMATELY 0800. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE PILOT ATTENDED HIS SCHOOL'S AGRICULTURAL PILOT TRAINING COURSE FROM DECEMBER 1997 THROUGH JANUARY 1998. THE PILOT ASKED TO RENT THE AIRPLANE TO MAINTAIN HIS PROFICIENCY IN TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANES. THE 265 HOUR PILOT TOLD THE OPERATOR AT THE TIME OF THE RENTAL THAT HE WOULD BE TAKING THE AIRPLANE FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF. THE OPERATOR ADDED THAT HE WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE PILOT WAS GOING TO TAKE HIS PASSENGER FOR BREAKFAST SOMEWHERE IN THE LOCAL FLYING AREA. ACCORDING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE AIRPLANE "STALLED AND CRASHED WHILE SIMULATING AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVERS OVER A SOY BEAN FIELD." THE 40 YEAR OLD PILOT, WHO WAS OCCUPYING THE FRONT SEAT, TOLD THE AMBULANCE ATTENDANT THAT THE AIRPLANE "ENTERED A SPIN AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER DUE TO THE AIRPLANE'S LOW ALTITUDE." LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A RIGHT TURN IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND THE RIGHT WING SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. FUEL WAS FOUND LEAKING FROM THE FUEL CELL; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO FIRE. (-23) PILOT WAS MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENTERED A FLAT SPIN AT TOO LOW OF AN ALTITUDE TO RECOVER.  BLOOD TEST AT THE HOSPITAL REVEALED MARIJUANA.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98LA409](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA409), Sep 26, 1998: Champion 7EC (N9098B), Catoosa, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane resulting in an inadvertent stall.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.