What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 10, 2007, about 1700 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped champion 7GCB-117 airplane, N9897Y, sustained damage when it descended uncontrolled after takeoff, and impacted the ground, about 35 miles southeast of King Salmon, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight under title 14, CFR part 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial certificated pilot and sole passenger were not injured. VFR conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with FAA inspector privacy data omitted the pilot said that his passenger reported hearing a thud or bang just prior to the airplane lifting off. He said the takeoff area was predominantly gravel with some larger rocks. The pilot reported that as the airplane lifted off, it immediately veered to the right. He said regardless of his control inputs, the airplane continued to the right, and impacted the ground. The pilot thought the right landing gear might have separated during takeoff, and the airplane did not have enough flying speed to overcome the drag. The airplane sustained damage to the right wing, landing gear and propeller.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 10, 2007, ABOUT 1700 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TUNDRA TIRE-EQUIPPED CHAMPION 7GCB-117 AIRPLANE, N9897Y, SUSTAINED DAMAGE WHEN IT DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED AFTER TAKEOFF, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND, ABOUT 35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KING SALMON, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE PILOT AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT AND SOLE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH FAA INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE PILOT SAID THAT HIS PASSENGER REPORTED HEARING A THUD OR BANG JUST PRIOR TO THE AIRPLANE LIFTING OFF. HE SAID THE TAKEOFF AREA WAS PREDOMINANTLY GRAVEL WITH SOME LARGER ROCKS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF, IT IMMEDIATELY VEERED TO THE RIGHT. HE SAID REGARDLESS OF HIS CONTROL INPUTS, THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO THE RIGHT, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE PILOT THOUGHT THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR MIGHT HAVE SEPARATED DURING TAKEOFF, AND THE AIRPLANE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FLYING SPEED TO OVERCOME THE DRAG. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING, LANDING GEAR AND PROPELLER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N9897Y · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.