- Date
- April 8, 2010, 12:05 local (17:05 UTC)
- Place
- Creve Couer, MO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1957CAmerican Champion 7GCAA
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 12, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-St. Louis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100408032119A
- Case key
- 75691
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 go-around during a simulated engine failure and the instructor pilot's delay in remedial actions.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flying pilot and owner of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was practicing touch-and-go landings from the front seat with an instructor pilot in the rear seat. After the flying pilot successfully completed four normal takeoff and landings and two downwind landings, the instructor pilot pulled out the carburetor heat and pulled the throttle to idle while on downwind to simulate an engine failure. The flying pilot turned toward the grass runway. The instructor pilot reported that the airplane was not positioned for a safe landing and he expected the flying pilot to go around. When a go-around was not initiated by the flying pilot, the instructor pilot called out “go around” and, soon after, he moved the throttle to full open. The airplane bounced and landed hard, damaging the landing gear and right wing tip. The flying pilot reported that a go-around should be initiated at "an earlier stage while simulating an engine out."
Factual narrative
The flying pilot and owner of the tail wheel equipped airplane was practicing touch and go landings from the front seat of the airplane with an instructor pilot in the rear seat. After the flying pilot successfully completed four normal takeoff and landings and two downwind landings, the instructor pilot pulled out the carburetor heat and pulled the throttle to idle while on downwind to simulate an engine failure. The flying pilot turned toward the grass runway. The instructor pilot reported that the airplane was not positioned for a safe landing and he expected the flying pilot to go around. When a go around was not initiated by the flying pilot, the instructor pilot called out “go around” and, soon after, he moved the throttle to full open. The airplane bounced and landed hard, damaging the landing gear and right wingtip. The flying pilot reported that a go around should be initiated at “an earlier stage while simulating an engine out.”
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1957C
- Reported as
- American Champion 7GCAA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 470-2002
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Cary Fletcher
- Registered owner
- CJF Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 1H0 · Creve Couer, MO
- Destination
- 1H0 · Creve Couer, MO
- Airport
- 1H0 · Creve Coeur, runway 25, 3,120 × 75 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 440 total · 34 in this make and model · 374 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 16,839 total · 107 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 12 knots, gusting 17
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 5, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.