# NTSB ANC10LA006: Champion 7GCBC, N5268X, Kenai, AK, November 6, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: November 6, 2009, 15:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place: Kenai, AK
- Coordinates: 60.783332, -152.133331
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.7833&lon=-152.1333&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 12, 2010
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA FSDO-03
- NTSB case key (mKey): 75038
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC10LA006
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75038/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75038
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC10LA006

## Probable cause

The pilot's decision to fly at a low altitude in strong winds and turbulence, resulting in a loss of control and a collision with terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Champion 7GCBC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=21101PK), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Champion 7GCBC, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=21101PK), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Champion 7GCBC, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=21101PK), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Wind: downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Champion 7GCBC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md?model=21101PK), [All aircraft, 178 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md)
- [Turbulence: terrain induced turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Champion 7GCBC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010/cases.md?model=21101PK), [All aircraft, 70 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Champion 7GCBC, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=21101PK), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Champion 7GCBC, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=21101PK), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The private pilot with one passenger was on a personal local flight when the accident occurred. The pilot said that he was looking for areas to trap during the coming season. He was cruising west, about 1,000 feet above ground level into a strong headwind, and his global positioning system showed a ground speed of 60 knots. He then made a 180-degree turn to the east and was indicating a ground speed of 128 knots. The pilot said that as he turned to the north he encountered a crosswind that rolled the airplane inverted. He then righted the airplane, but the crosswind rolled the airplane inverted a second time. As the pilot righted the airplane again, a downdraft pushed it into the treetops. He said that there were no preexisting mechanical problems with the airplane but that the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage during the accident.

## Factual narrative

On November 6, 2009, about 1515 Alaska standard time, a Champion 7GCBC airplane, sustained substantial damage during an uncontrolled descent and impact with terrain, about 55 miles northwest of Kenai, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the private pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot and sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed a private airstrip near Soldotna, Alaska, about 1130. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on November 9, the pilot said that he and his passenger flew to the area west of Kenai to look for areas to trap during the upcoming season. He said they were cruising west, about 1,000 above ground level (agl) into a strong headwind, and that his global positioning system (GPS) was indicating a ground speed of 60 knots. He said he made a 180-degree turn to the east, and was indicating a ground speed of 128 knots. The pilot said he turned to the north, and encountered a crosswind that rolled the airplane inverted. He said he righted the airplane, but the crosswind rolled the airplane inverted a second time. The pilot said as he righted the airplane again, a downdraft pushed it into the treetops. He said the right wing struck Alder trees, and the airplane struck the ground. He said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The pilot said he had received a preflight weather briefing from Kenai Flight Service, and that the winds in the departure area were light. He said there was no turbulence crossing Cook Inlet, but he could see dust blowing up from the riverbeds near the mountains to the north and west. The closest weather reporting station to the accident site, the automated weather station (PALV) at Big River Lakes, Alaska, 10 miles west of the accident site, reported at 2350Z: wind 270 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 30 knots. The pilot did not submit an NTSB accident report as requested.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5268X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5268X-2013-07-09), registration cancelled 2013-07-09, S/N 193, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CHAMPION 7GCBC
- Registry model: [Champion 7GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7gcbc) (registry code 21101PK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 193
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Dilley Joseph Campbell
- Registered owner: Dilley Joseph Campbell
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: Soldotna, AK
- Destination: Soldotna, AK

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; flight hours: 80 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 15 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter: 28.85 inHg
- Observed at: PALV, 10 nm away

## 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 20091106051009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091106051009A), Nov 6, 2009: Champion 7GCBC, Kenai, AK, Substantial damage. According to the pilot, the aircraft was manuvering next to some hills when it contacted high wind gusts and he lost control whereas the aircraft contacted the…

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 28, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75038. 44 KB in all.

- Record of Conversation - Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 44 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40330512&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF

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.

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