- Date
- June 5, 1996, 10:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Clear, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N83995Champion 7AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 20, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19960605012789A
- Case key
- 2847
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 inadequate preflight inspection in that he failed to ensure that the cabin door was properly secured for takeoff. Factors associated with the accident were: the open cabin door and rough/uneven terrain.
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 pilot reported that he placed his dog in the back seat of the tandem seat tailwheel airplane in preparation for takeoff. The takeoff attempt was performed off airport, on rough and uneven terrain. During the takeoff roll, and just after becoming airborne, the cabin door opened and the pilot's dog tried to leave the airplane. The pilot aborted the takeoff and grabbed his dog. While rolling out after touchdown, the airplane encountered a small ditch and boggy terrain, and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On June 5, 1996, about 1000 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Champion 7AC airplane, N83995, sustained substantial damage during an aborted takeoff from an off airport site located approximately 20 miles west of Clear, Alaska. The solo private pilot and his dog were not injured. The local, 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan.
The pilot reported he was attempting to relocate his airplane to an area adjacent to Totek Lake after previously landing close to a site where he is constructing a cabin. He said that he placed his dog in the airplane's back seat, and had just lifted off the unimproved surface, when the cabin door popped open. The pilot said his dog immediately tried to get out the door, and the dog was partially through the door when the pilot began to abort the takeoff. The pilot stated he was trying to close the door, restrain the dog, and abort the takeoff all at the same time. The airplane touched down and continued to roll off the end of the usable surface into a small depression and bog. The airplane decelerated, and slowly nosed over, damaging the wing and lift struts.
The pilot stated in an interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge that he was uncertain if the cabin door opened because of the uneven terrain, or because his dog moved the door latch.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83995
- Reported as
- Champion 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC2682
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Timothy E. Dugger
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 336 total · 290 in this make and model · 285 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 45° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 70 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
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 N83995 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.