# Accident 20170116000509A: American Champion Aircraft 7GCAA, Bainbridge, GA, January 16, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 16, 2017, 09:00 local time
- Place: Bainbridge, GA
- Airport: Decatur County Industrial Air
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.9717° N, 84.6369° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.9717&lon=-84.6369&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2540F, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2540F) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: American Champion 7GCAA (registry code 2121002, https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-7gcaa) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT 7GCAA
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 76 total, 50 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA17CA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA115) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170116000509A

## Narrative

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

ON 01/16/2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 LOCAL TIME, THE STUDENT PILOT OF AMERICAN CHAMPION N2540F ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT DECATUR COUNTY AIRPORT, BAINBRIDGE, GA.  AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 09 THE PILOT PULLED BACK ON POWER FOR TOUCHDOWN.  AS THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED, THE LEFT WING SUDDENLY DROPPED AND THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL TOUCHED THE RUNWAY CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BEGIN TURNING TO THE RIGHT.  THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE AIRCRAFT USING RUDDER AND AILERON CONTROL AT WHICH TIME THE TAIL CAME UP AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET FROM INITIAL TOUCHDOWN.  WHEN BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEELS TOUCHED THE GRASS, THE PROPELLER AND NOSE COWLING STRUCK THE GROUND, THE ENGINE ABRUPTLY STOPPED AND THE AIRCRAFT TURNED OVER ONTO ITS BACK.  THE PILOT THEN TURNED THE MAGNETO AND MASTER SWITCH OFF, RELEASED HIS HARNESS, EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND CALL 911.

## 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 GAA17CA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA115), Jan 16, 2017: American Champion 7GCAA (N2540F), Bainbridge, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during final approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, and his subsequent loss of directional control after touchdown.

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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