# Accident 20251213019129A: American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB, Irvington, AL, December 13, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 13, 2025, 11:42 local time
- Place: Irvington, AL
- Airport: Roy E Ray
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.4492° N, 88.2114° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4492&lon=-88.2114&mi=10
- Aircraft: N157WB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N157WB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: American Champion 8KCAB (registry code 2121000, https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-8kcab) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-H1B (registry code 41883, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-360-h1b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT 8KCAB
- Reported engine: LYCOMING AEIO-360-H1B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26FA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26FA067) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251213019129A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED (5R7) ROY E. RAY AIRFIELD AFTER LOADING 2 PARACHUTES ONTO THE REAR SEAT AND SECURING THEM WITH THE SHOULDER HARNESS.  UPON DEPARTURE WITNESS DESCRIBED THE TAKEOFF AS THE PILOT APPEARING TO HAVE EXECUTED A SHORT FIELD TAKE OFF, THEN THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO ESTABLISH A BEST ANGLE OF CLIMB CONFIGURATION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN POSITION.

## 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 ERA26FA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26FA067), Dec 13, 2025: American Champion 8KCAB (N157WB), Irvington, AL, substantial damage, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing

## Other reports on N157WB (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20170701010809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170701010809A), Jul 1, 2017: American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB (N157WB), Ferguson, FL, Substantial damage. Airman indicated that he was making a wheel landing to the grass runway 18. After touchdown the aircraft started to veer to the right. The airman attempted to…

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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