- Date
- September 29, 1994, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sacramento, KY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7695EChampion 7FC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report May 16, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940929032379A
- Case key
- 8981
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 adequate obstacle clearance.
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 was attempting takeoff from a dirt strip which he had used several times before. According to the pilot, the takeoff roll was longer than usual, but he was not too concerned about it. The airplane lifted off and because of the limited forward visibility from the high pitch attitude he looked out the side window and then noticed powerlines in his path. He increased pitch to clear the powerlines, but the airspeed decreased. He decreased pitch to regain airspeed and noticed trees ahead. To avoid the trees, he turned right but the right wing collided with the crop and the airplane crashed in the corn field.
Factual narrative
On September 29, 1994, at 1900 eastern daylight time, N7695E, a Champion 7FC, owned and piloted by Willard Gribbin of Owensboro, Kentucky, crashed during takeoff from Lowe's Field in Sacramento, Kentucky. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was destroyed. The local, personal flight was operated under 14 CFR 91.
The pilot reported that he landed at this airport several times. He stated that he accomplished his preflight and run-up inspections successfully. He stated that airplane was a slow climber and that he was unable to see over the cowl during the climb. The pilot stated that at the point where he normally start his left turn, he lowered the nose to increase his speed when he noticed the power line. He stated that when he looked outside he noticed the trees so he decided to veer to the right and land in the corn field but the right wing struck a tree and spun the aircraft around.
According to an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector, the pilot was taking off from a private strip which has trees at the departure end of the runway. The FAA Inspector stated that witnesses reported that the airplane tried to clear the trees at the end of the runway, and that the airplane veered to the left after departure. The airplane touched down in a corn field. According to the FAA, the procedure for taking off from this runway is to veer to the right after takeoff to avoid the trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7695E
- Reported as
- Champion 7FC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 290
- Engine
- Continental C-90-12-F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Willard D Gribbin
- Registered owner
- Willard D Gribbin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 19, 1994 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- KY20
- Destination
- KY20 · KY
- Airport
- KY80 · Lowe, runway 36, 1,700 × 100 ft, dirt
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
- 59
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 364 total · 34 in this make and model · 364 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 360° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.