# NTSB ANC05CA011: Champion 7FC, N4851E, Talkeetna, AK, October 30, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 30, 2004, 13:40 local (21:40 UTC) - Place: Talkeetna, AK - Coordinates: 62.323055, -150.083328 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.3231&lon=-150.0833&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 60461 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC05CA011 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60461/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC05CA011 ## Probable cause The instructor pilot's inadequate supervision of the student, which resulted in a loss of control during the landing roll, and subsequent nose over. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - directional control - not maintained, dual student - ground loop/swerve - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - snowbank - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The flight instructor was providing flight instruction/recurrent training to the private pilot in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The flight instructor said that just after landing on a dry, paved runway, the private pilot allowed the airplane to veer to the left of the runway centerline. The instructor said that she took control of the airplane in an attempt to realign the airplane, but the airplane ground looped to the left, and continued off the left side of the runway. The airplane's main wheels struck a snowbank, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, wing lift struts, fuselage, and empennage. Both pilots noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On October 30, 2004, about 1340 Alaska daylight time, N4851E, a tailwheel-equipped Champion 7FC airplane, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Talkeetna Airport, Talkeetna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area instructional flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The first pilot, seated in the rear seat, a certificated flight instructor, and the second pilot, seated in the front seat, a certificated private pilot, were not injured. The accident airplane was owned by the second pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Talkeetna Airport, Talkeetna, about 1300. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on November 1, the first pilot reported that she was providing flight instruction/recurrent training to the second pilot. The first pilot said that just after landing on runway 36, a dry, paved runway, the second pilot allowed the airplane to veer slightly to the left of the runway centerline. She said that she took control of the airplane in an attempt to realign the airplane, but the airplane ground looped to the left, and continued off the left side of the runway. The airplane's main wheels struck a snowbank, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, wing lift struts, fuselage, and empennage. Both pilots noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4851E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4851E-2013-08-05), registration cancelled 2013-08-05, S/N 7FC-302, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Champion 7FC - Registry model: [Champion 7FC](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7fc) (registry code 21101NX) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C90 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (registry code 17009, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7FC-302 - Airframe hours: 2431.1 - Engines: Continental C-90-12F 90 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: James & Tracy Habersetzer - Registered owner: James L. Habersetzer - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 19, 2004, 1 hours before - Departed: TKA, Talkeetna, AK - Destination: TKA, Talkeetna, AK - Airport: TKA, Talkeetna, runway 36, 3,500 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 31; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review May 29, 2003; seat: rear; flight hours: 850 total, 1 in this make and model, 650 as pilot in command, 140 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 41; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 6, 2002; seat: front; flight hours: 157 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft broken - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.44 inHg - Observed at: TKA ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20041030029569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041030029569A), Oct 30, 2004: Bbavia 7FC, Talkeetna, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot, acting as a certified flight instructor (CFI), was giving flight instruction for the purpose of awarding a tail wheel endorsement. When the… ## Other investigations on N4851E (3) 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 FTW69F0001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW69F0001), May 5, 1968: Champion 7FC (N4851E), Oak Grove, LA, substantial damage - [NTSB FTW66F0537](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW66F0537), Mar 15, 1966: Champion 7FC (N4851E), Kaplan, LA, substantial damage - [NTSB UNK64X2681](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/UNK64X2681), Jul 6, 1964: Champion 7FC (N4851E), Kaplan, LA, destroyed 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. --- 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.