# Fatal NTSB investigations: American Champion 8KCAB

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB ERA26FA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26FA067.md): American Champion 8KCAB · Irvington, AL · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report · Dec 13, 2025 · N157WB · Substantial damage
  > On December 13, 2025, about 1145 central standard time, an American Champion Decathlon, N157WB, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Roy E. Ray Airfield (5R7), Bayou La Batre, Alabama. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane…
- [NTSB CEN22FA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA019.md): American Champion 8KCAB · Marengo, WI · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Oct 23, 2021 · N843AC · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the steep turn, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. Also causal was the pilot’s decision to conduct steep turns without sufficient altitude to…
- [NTSB ERA21FA355](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21FA355.md): American Champion 8KCAB · Rhine, GA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Sep 12, 2021 · N390PE · Substantial damage
  > A collision with trees during a low-altitude aerobatic maneuver for unknown reasons.
- [NTSB CEN20LA389](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA389.md): Champion 8KCAB · Groton, SD · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 13, 2020 · N83DH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s loss of airplane control during a low-altitude aerobatic maneuver.
- [NTSB CEN17WA161](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17WA161.md): Champion 8KCAB · Cancun, Mexico · Accident · 1 fatal · Foreign investigation · Apr 14, 2017 · N65SE · Destroyed
  > The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Mexican government. This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the Mexican government. Further information pertaining to…
- [NTSB ERA14FA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA093.md): American Champion 8KCAB · Holland, NJ · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 15, 2014 · N469J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's continued visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in controlled flight into trees and terrain.
- [NTSB CEN12LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA112.md): American Champion 8KCAB · Marysville, OH · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 22, 2011 · N161PC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude from the terrain while performing low-level aerobatics.
- [NTSB CEN11FA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA029.md): American Champion 8KCAB · Sebewaing, MI · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 18, 2010 · N105AC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and aircraft control following a loss of engine power after takeoff.
- [NTSB DEN06FA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN06FA018.md): American Champion 8KCAB · Calhan, CO · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 21, 2005 · N70MT · Destroyed
  > the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors contributing to the accident were the low altitude, and the resultant stall/spin.
- [NTSB LAX06FA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06FA005.md): American Champion 8KCAB · Oroville, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 10, 2005 · N943D · Destroyed
  > The certified flight instructor and the private pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while attempting a return to runway maneuver, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
- [NTSB LAX04FA304](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04FA304.md): American Champion 8KCAB · Prescott, AZ · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 28, 2004 · N561ER · 2 aircraft · Destroyed
  > The failure of both pilots to maintain adequate clearance from each other while performing formation aerobatic maneuvers.
- [NTSB CHI99LA007](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA007.md): Bellanca 8KCAB · Superior, WI · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 9, 1998 · N924TA · Destroyed
  > the pilot not maintaining clearance with the terrain, and his improper decision to enter maneuvers too close to the terrain. Factors contributing to this accident were the aerobatic maneuvers, the trees and the berm.
- [NTSB CHI95FA191](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95FA191.md): Champion 8KCAB · Frankfort, IL · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 21, 1995 · N109AC · Destroyed
  > the pilot-in-command's overconfidence in his personal ability in attempting to teach aerobatics, his lack of experience as a flight instructor, and allowing the airplane to get into a position where its never exceed speed and design stress limits were…

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('2121000'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb?fatal=1&model=2121000

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.