# Accident 20260710009689A: American Champion Aircraft 7GCAA, Franklin, VA, July 10, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 10, 2026, 13:15 local time
- Place: Franklin, VA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.6840° N, 76.9414° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Franklin, VA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6840&lon=-76.9414&mi=10
- Aircraft: N67BF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N67BF) (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: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260710009689A

## Narrative

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

AN EXPERIENCED PILOT WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION TOWARDS A TAILWHEEL ENDORSEMENT IN THIS TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT.  RUNWAY MARKS SHOWED A NORMAL LANDING WHICH APPEARED TO BE DRIFTING SLIGHTLY SIDEWAYS.  THIS DRIFT TO THE LEFT APPEARS TO HAVE OPENED UP A SIGNIFICANT PRE-EXISTING METAL FATIGUE CRACK IN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE RIGHT SIDE, MAIN LANDING GEAR SPRING AXLE.  THIS CAUSED WHAT IS NORMALLY A VERTICAL COMPRESSION LOAD TO BE A SIDE-LOAD THAT OPENED THE HINGE POINT AROUND THE MINIMAL REMAINING METAL, AND CAUSED FAILURE.  THE COMPLETE BRAKE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT.  THE AIRCRAFT FELL ROUGHLY 8 INCHES ONTO THE BROKEN AXLE STUB, STRUCK THE PROP, AND PIVOTED CONSISTENT WITH A GROUND LOOP.  BOTH PILOTS WERE UNINJURED AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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