- Date
- July 10, 2007, 17:00 local (Jul 11, 2007, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- King Salmon, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9897YChampion 7GCB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Anchorage FSDO-03
- FAA report
- 20070710017569A
- Case key
- 66163
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff, which resulted in the right main landing gear collapsing during takeoff. Factors contributing to the accident were rough/uneven terrain, and the collapse of the main landing gear.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The commercial certificated pilot was taking off in a tundra tire-equipped airplane from a rough/uneven off-airport site under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said his passenger reported hearing a thud or bang just prior to lifting off. The takeoff area was predominately gravel with some larger rocks, and the pilot reported that as the airplane lifted off, it immediately veered to the right. He said regardless of his control inputs, the airplane continued to the right, and impacted the ground. The pilot said the right main landing gear separated during takeoff, and the airplane did not have enough flying speed to overcome the drag. He said the airplane sustained damage to the right wing, right landing gear, fuselage, and propeller. In a written statement, the pilot wrote that more careful landing area selection might have prevented the accident.
Factual narrative
On July 10, 2007, about 1700 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Champion 7GCB airplane, N9897Y, sustained substantial damage when the right main landing gear failed during takeoff, and impacted the ground, about 35 miles southeast of King Salmon, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial certificated pilot and sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on July 11, the pilot said that his passenger reported hearing a thud or bang just prior to the airplane lifting off. He said the takeoff area was predominately gravel with some larger rocks. The pilot reported that as the airplane lifted off, it immediately veered to the right. He said regardless of his control inputs, the airplane continued to the right, and impacted the ground. The pilot thought the right landing gear might have separated during takeoff, and the airplane did not have enough flying speed to overcome the drag. He said the airplane sustained damage to the right wing, right landing gear, fuselage, and propeller.
In a written statement to the NTSB dated July 13, the pilot wrote that more careful landing area selection might have prevented the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9897Y
- Reported as
- Champion 7GCB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7GCB-117
- Airframe hours
- 2,000
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dave Cox
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2007
- Departed
- King Salmon, AK
- Destination
- PAKN · King Salmon, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2006
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 300 in this make and model · 6,000 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9897Y · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.