# Accident 20010530010429A: Bbavia 7ECA, Greensboro, NC, May 30, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 30, 2001, 19:54 local time
- Place: Greensboro, NC
- Airport: Air Harbor Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.1807° N, 79.8108° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1807&lon=-79.8108&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1669G, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1669G) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Champion 7ECA (registry code 21101NN, https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7eca) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BBAVIA 7ECA
- Reported engine: LYC O235C1
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,210 total, 30 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA01LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA149) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010530010429A

## Narrative

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

(-23)SEE NARRATIVE MIA01LA149 (.19)ON MAY 30, 2001, ABOUT 1954 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CHAMPION 7ECA, N1669G, REGISTERED TO OMNI AVIATION INC., AND OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, CRASHED INTO TREES DURING TAKEOFF/INITIAL CLIMB AT AIR HARBOR AIRPORT, GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED, AND THE AIRCRAFT INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT IT WAS A NORMAL TAKEOFF WITH THE AIRCRAFT OPERATING NORMALLY, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMETHING PUSHED HIM OVER TO THE LEFT INTO THE TREES THAT RISE UP QUICKLY AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REITERATED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION TO THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE, OR TO ANY OF THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS, AND THAT HE COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHAT PUSHED HIM INTO THE TREES. HE SAID THAT HIS PARTNER HAD ALSO FLOWN THE AIRPLANE THE NIGHT BEFORE, AND HAD PERFORMED AEROBATICS, AND THE AIRCRAFT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY.                                                                                                                           (.4) ON MAY 30, 2001, ABOUT 1954 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CHAMPION 7ECA, N1669G, REGISTERED TO OMNI AVIATION INC., AND OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, CRASHED INTO TREES DURING TAKEOFF/INITIAL CLIMB AT AIR HARBOR AIRPORT, GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT-RATED PILOT AND ONE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED, AND THE AIRCRAFT INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT IT HAD BEEN A NORMAL TAKEOFF, WITH ALL ENGINE AND FLIGHT INDICATIONS BEING NORMAL. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD ROTATED ABOUT 800 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY, AND HAD CLIMBED TO ABOUT 100 FEET, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY MADE AN UNCOMMANDED LEFT TURN. HE SAID HE TRIED TO RECOVER, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO CONTROL INPUTS, AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TOPS OF PINE TREES, COMING TO REST AT A HEIGHT OF ABOUT 30 FEET INTO THE TREES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SUPPOSED THAT INADVERTENT RUDDER INPUT OR P-FACTOR CAUSED THE LEFT TURN, DUE TO SLOW AIRSPEED, PRIOR TO STALL. THE PILOT REITERATED THAT THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION TO THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE, OR TO ANY OF THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

## 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 MIA01LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA149), May 30, 2001: Champion 7ECA (N1669G), Greensboro, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during takeoff/initial climb, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, an uncontrolled descent, and collision with trees.

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.

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