- Date
- August 3, 1994, 21:35 local (Aug 4, 1994, 05:35 UTC)
- Place
- North Pole, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N315CChampion 7GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19940803024309A
- Case key
- 2537
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 improper rigging of the airplane's ailerons by the pilot. A factor in the accident was the pilot's improper preflight.
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 plane's ailerons were rigged backwards during the complete rebuild of the airplane by the owner/pilot. The owner/pilot lost control of the airplane during the initial test flight following the rebuild.
Factual narrative
On August 3, 1994, at 2135 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped champion 7GCBC airplane, N315C, crashed shortly after takeoff from Nelson Strip in North Pole, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot-in-command, the sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 for the purpose of checking the airplane out after a complete rebuild. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and there was no flight plan in effect.
The pilot reported to an FAA investigator that shortly after takeoff he applied right aileron to correct a slight drift to the left but that increased inputs of right aileron exacerbated the left banking tendency of the airplane. A post accident inspection of the airplane revealed that the ailerons were rigged backwards. This was pilot's first flight in the airplane following a complete rebuilt of the airplane by him.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N315C
- Reported as
- Champion 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 79
- Airframe hours
- 1,468
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Nelson, Leonard L.
- Registered owner
- Edgar
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1982 · 183 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,126 total · 50 in this make and model · 1,944 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.