- Date
- June 23, 1999, 18:00 local (Jun 24, 1999, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5149XChampion 7GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 23, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19990623007509A
- Case key
- 46653
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 failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, and subsequent inadvertent stall.
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 certificated private pilot was practicing touch and go landings. The pilot stated on his fifth touch and go landing, while on short final with a left crosswind, 'the wind quit and I just sunk.' He added: 'I may have let my airspeed get too low at that time.' The pilot said he applied full power and full back pressure on the elevator control. He said the left wing stalled and the airplane bounced about 30 feet short of the runway. The airplane came to a stop at the approach end of the runway. The pilot stated 'I applied too much back pressure and stalled it.' The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings. Wind conditions at the time of the accident were reported to be light and variable.
Factual narrative
On June 23, 1999, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped, Champion 7GCBC airplane, N5149X, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Lake Hood Airstrip, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to the pilot. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was 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 June 24, the pilot reported that he was practicing touch and go landings. The pilot stated on his fifth touch and go landing, while on short final with a left crosswind, "the wind quit and I just sunk." He added: "I may have let my airspeed get too low at that time." The pilot said he applied full power and full back pressure on the elevator control. He said the left wing stalled and the airplane bounced about 30 feet short of the runway. The airplane came to a stop at the approach end of the runway. The pilot stated "I applied too much back pressure and stalled it." The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
The airplane received substantial damage to the wings.
Wind conditions at the time of the accident were reported to be light and variable.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5149X
- Reported as
- Champion 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 103
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James R. Langman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 27, 1998
- Departed
- Z41 · AK
- Airport
- Z41 · Lake Hood Strip, runway 31, 2,200 × 70 ft, gravel
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
- 67
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 196 total · 35 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LHD
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 N5149X · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.