# NTSB CEN10LA198: American Champion 7KCAB, N5065X, Greeley, CO, February 23, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 23, 2010, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Greeley, CO - Coordinates: 40.419166, -104.633331 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4192&lon=-104.6333&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 12, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 75708 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10LA198 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75708/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75708 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA198 ## Probable cause An in-flight failure of the wing fabric for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wing structure: flight surfaces (wing)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035750): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Champion 7KCAB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035750/cases.md?model=21101P3), [All aircraft, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035750/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined; cases with it: [Champion 7KCAB, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=21101P3), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337) (defining event); cases with it: [Champion 7KCAB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/sequence.md?model=21101P3), [All aircraft, 290 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was practicing steep turns around a point at 7,500 feet mean sea level. During one of the turns, he heard an unusual sound and saw something falling away from the aircraft. He then noticed a piece of fabric “flapping” in the slipstream at the trailing edge of the right aileron. The airplane developed a slight sink rate, but the engine and flight controls operated normally. He returned to the airport and made an uneventful landing. Postflight inspection disclosed that nearly 80 percent of the fabric on the top of the right wing had separated, and several ribs were damaged when the rivets separated with the fabric. Several other ribs were distorted from slipstream. The airplane had been used for spotting fish in Alaska. According to the maintenance records, the airframe was last recovered on July 21, 2003, at a total time of 3,894.0 hours. Fabric punch tests since the recovering had been satisfactory. ## Factual narrative On February 23, 2010, approximately 1500 mountain standard time, a Champion 7KCAB, N5065X,registered to and operated by the private pilot, was substantially damaged when the fabric on the upper right wing tore off while the airplane was being maneuvered near Greeley, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The local flight originated at Greeley approximately 1430. According to the pilot’s accident report, he was practicing steep turns around a point at 7,500 feet msl. During one of the turns, he heard an unusual sound and saw something falling away from the aircraft. He then noticed a piece of fabric “flapping” in the slipstream at the trailing edge of the right aileron. The airplane developed a slight sink rate, but the engine and flight controls operated normally. He returned to Greeley and made an uneventful landing. Post-flight inspection disclosed that nearly 80 percent of the fabric on the top of the right wing had separated, and several ribs were damaged when the rivets separated with the fabric. Several other ribs were distorted from slipstream. The airplane had been used for fish spotting in Alaska. According to the maintenance records, the airframe was last recovered on July 21, 2003 at a total time of 3,894.0 hours. Fabric punch tests since that recovering had been satisfactory. The Denver NTSB was notified of this accident on April 10, 2010. The pilot offered no explanation as to why he didn't report the accident promptly in accordance with Title 49 CFR 830.5(a). ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5065X](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5065X), registered now, S/N 147, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: American Champion 7KCAB - Registry model: [Champion 7KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7kcab) (registry code 21101P3) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 147 - Airframe hours: 4017 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2A 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Charles P. Riesselmann - Registered owner: Charles P. Riesselmann - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic - Last inspection: Annual, February 6, 2009, 63 hours before - Departed: GXY, Greeley, CO - Destination: GXY, Greeley, CO - Airport: GXY, Greeley-Weld County ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 11, 2008; seat: front; flight hours: 179 total, 112 in this make and model, 21 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: GXY ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20100223055499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100223055499A), Feb 23, 2010: Champion 7KCAB, Greeley, CO, Substantial damage. On February 21, 2010, N5065X Champion 7KCAB at approximately 1500 mountain standard time (MST), was performing steep turns, power on/off stalls maneuvers 15… ## Other investigations on N5065X (2) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX72DUQ88](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX72DUQ88), May 21, 1972: Champion 7KCAB (N5065X), Pacoima, CA, substantial damage - [NTSB LAX71DUQ42](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX71DUQ42), Nov 14, 1970: Champion 7KCAB (N5065X), Pacoima, CA, substantial damage ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 10, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75708. 2.7 MB in all. - NTSB Form 6120.1-2, Pilot-Operator Aircraft Accident Report (item 1, .PDF, 690 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40329426&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120.1-2,%20Pilot-Operator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Riesselman's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40329427&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Riesselman%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 3, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328265&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Photo 1. Right wing and aileron of N5065X after landing at Greeley. (item 4, .PDF, 300 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40329360&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20Right%20wing%20and%20aileron%20of%20N5065X%20after%20landing%20at%20Greeley.-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.