- Date
- September 11, 2020, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ozark, AR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N81BHChampion 8GCBC
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20200911009609A
- Case key
- 101962
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 clearance from a wire during final approach to landing.
Findings · 3
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 pilot reported that, during the turn from base to final, the left wing struck a wire and the airplane rotated and hit the ground. The airplane's wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. He also stated that he should have maintained clearance from the obstructions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N81BH
- Reported as
- Champion 8GCBC (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 542-2011
- Built
- 2011
- Airframe hours
- 425
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-G1G, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2019
- Departed
- 51AR · Ozark, AR
- Airport
- 51AR · Byrd'S Backcountry Airstrip, runway 20, 900 × 50 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Angle of attack indicator, Stall warning system
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
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 2, 2020
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,271.2 total · 235 in this make and model · 2,184.6 as pilot in command · 26.7 in the last 90 days · 15.1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KFYV, 29 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KFYV 111853Z 00000KT 10SM BKN017 BKN080 OVC100 24/19 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP197 T02390194=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 12, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 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.