# Accident 20200819016279A: American Champion Aircraft 8GCBC, Three Rivers, MI, August 19, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 19, 2020, 20:00 local time
- Place: Three Rivers, MI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.9589° N, 85.5922° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9589&lon=-85.5922&mi=10
- Aircraft: N133PJ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N133PJ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: American Champion 8GCBC (registry code 2121004, https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-8gcbc) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360-C1G (registry code 42284, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-c1g) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT 8GCBC
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360-C1G
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 600 total, 300 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN20CA358](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA358) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200819016279A

## Narrative

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

ON AUGUST 19, 2020 AT 2000 LOCAL TIME, AN AMERICAN CHAMPION 8GCBC AIRCRAFT, N133PJ, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT STRUCK A RUNWAY MARKER SIGN WHILE TAXIING TO THE FUEL PUMPS AT THE THREE RIVERS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (HAI), THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND LIGHT WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN.  THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE PILOT?S PRIVATE AIRFIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 1945L.

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE HAD JUST LANDED ON RUNWAY 05 AND WAS TAXIING TO THE FUEL PUMPS IN THE GRASS PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY SURFACE. ADMITTEDLY, HE WAS TAXIING THE TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT A BIT TOO FAST AND WAS NOT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO HIS SURROUNDINGS. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE RUNWAY MARKER SIGN CAUSING THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO DROP AND IMPACT THE GROUND AS THE TAIL CAME OVER WITH THE AIRCRAFT COMING TO REST ON ITS BACK. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS ABLE TO EXIT UNAIDED. THE ELT DID FUNCTION AS DESIGNED. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE.

FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT DEPARTED THE SCENE TO ATTEND AN ?IMPORTANT? MEETING WITHOUT NOTIFYING ANY AUTHORITIES OF THE SITUATION. IT WASN?T UNTIL A PASSERBY VIEWED THE AIRCRAFT THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WERE MADE AWARE OF THE ACCIDENT. LATER THAT EVENING THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT TO RECOVER THE AIRCRAFT AND PLACE IT IN A HANGAR.

PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW THE AIRCRAFT UPRIGHT IN A HANGAR. THE SPINNER IS CRUSHED AND BOTH COMPOSITE PROPELLER BLADES ARE BROKEN AT THE HUB. THE WINDSHIELD IS BROKEN WITH LARGE PIECES MISSING. THE RIGHT WING STRUTS ARE BENT AND ALMOST BROKEN NEAR THE FUSELAGE. THE RIGHT WING IS CANTED AT A DOWNWARD ANGLE. THE RUDDER AND VERTICAL STABILIZER BOTH SHOW CRUSH DAMAGE.

WEATHER REPORT AT THE THREE RIVERS AIRPORT AT 0015 UTC WAS: WIND 080 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, CLEAR, TEMP 23 DEW POINT 11 AND ALTIMETER 30.05.

## 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 CEN20CA358](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA358), Aug 20, 2020: Champion 8GCBC (N133PJ), Three Rivers, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a taxiway sign after landing.

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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