CEN19TA310

NTSB accident investigation · Champion 7KCAB · Winnsboro, LA · September 7, 2019

Accident · No injuriesClass 3Final report
Date
September 7, 2019, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
Place
Winnsboro, LA
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N4136YChampion 7KCAB
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Investigation class
Class 3
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20190907024259A
Case key
100221

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing, which resulted in an impact with a tree.

Findings · 4

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotBellanca 7KCAB: 5 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: tree(s)Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomeBellanca 7KCAB: 1 caseAll aircraft: 933 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedBellanca 7KCAB: 3 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationBellanca 7KCAB: 2 casesAll aircraft: 1,008 casesProbable cause

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 pilot reported that, while landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane on the turf runway, the airplane bounced once followed by a "normal" touchdown on the main gear. The airplane started veering to the left and the pilot applied right rudder to correct, but it had "no effect." The airplane slowed "considerably" and continued veering to the left. The airplane subsequently impacted a tree, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions of the airplane. The recorded wind conditions from a nearby airport were consistent with a left crosswind for the landing runway.

Factual narrative

On September 7, 2019, about 1000 central daylight time, a Champion 7KCAB airplane, N4136Y, impacted a tree during landing on runway 36 (3,000 ft by 75 ft, turf) at the Williams Flying Service Airport (6LA6), near Winnsboro, Louisiana. The commercial pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The airplane sustained substantial wing and fuselage damage. The airplane was registered to an individual and was operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area about the time of the accident, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight departed from 6LA6 about 0930. The pilot reported that during the landing touchdown on the runway the airplane bounced once followed by a "normal" touchdown on the main landing gear wheels. The airplane then veered left off the runway centerline. Right rudder was applied, and it had "no effect." The airplane slowed "considerably" and continued veering to the left after full right ruder was applied. The airplane subsequently impacted a tree where it sustained the substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no airplane mechanical malfunctions. At 0953, the recorded nearby wind was 280° at 10 kts.

Aircraft

Registration
N4136Y
Reported as
Champion 7KCAB
Category
Airplane
Serial number
595-76
Built
1976
Engine
Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · October 23, 2018
Departed
6LA6 · Winnsboro, LA
Destination
6LA6 · Winnsboro, LA
Airport
6LA6 · Williams Flying Service, runway 36, 3,000 × 75 ft, grass/turf

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
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
January 15, 2018
Seat
Front
Restraint
Lap only
Flight hours
1,382.9 total · 38 in this make and model · 1,250.6 as pilot in command · 4.4 in the last 90 days · 4.4 in the last 30 days · 0.4 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
280° at 10 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
91 °F, dew point 70 °F
Altimeter
30.03 inHg
Observed at
KMLU, 16 nm away

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 1, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.8 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.