# NTSB CEN21LA468: American Champion 8KCAB, N2468W, Beaumont, TX, September 18, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 17, 2021, 19:10 local (Sep 18, 2021, 00:10 UTC)
- Place: Beaumont, TX
- Coordinates: 30.07394, -94.220834 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0739&lon=-94.2208&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern base: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Flight Standards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 104009
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA468
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104009/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104009
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA468

## Probable cause

The flight instructor’s failure to maintain aircraft control during the turn to final approach resulting in a rapid descent and impact with terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [American Champion 8KCAB, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2121000), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [American Champion 8KCAB, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=2121000), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern base: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [American Champion 8KCAB, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2121000), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR pattern base: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [American Champion 8KCAB, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2121000), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported after a 20-minute local flight, he and the flight instructor landed and swapped seats so that the flight instructor could fly a traffic pattern from the front seat. The flight instructor flew a tight traffic pattern and as he turned from a right base leg toward the final approach, the airplane descended rapidly and impacted terrain prior to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The flight instructor did not recall the accident sequence due to his injuries. Both pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2468W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2468W), registered now, S/N 886-2001 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT 8KCAB
- Registry model: [American Champion 8KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-8kcab) (registry code 2121000) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming AEIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-360-series) (registry code 41522, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 886-2001
- Year built: 2001
- Airframe hours: 1600
- Engines: LYCOMING AEIO-360 SER 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Bridges Brandon Neal
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2021, 100 hours before
- Departed: BMT, Beaumont, TX
- Destination: BMT, Beaumont, TX
- Airport: BMT, Beaumont Muni, runway 13/31, 4,001 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 41; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; last flight review August 31, 2020; seat: front; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 2,190 total, 38 in this make and model, 2,150 as pilot in command, 112 in the last 90 days, 41 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot; age 44; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, unknown; last flight review December 5, 2020; seat: rear; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 577 total, 115 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observed at: KBMT
- METAR: KBMT 180015Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT037 29/24 A2994 RMK AO2 T02880238

## 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 20210917017329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210917017329A), Sep 17, 2021: American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB, Beaumont, TX, Substantial damage. Passenger/pilot statement: [privacy data omitted] departed kbmt on the afternoon of 9/17/2021 for the practice area west of the airport. I was piloting the…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 18, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104009. 4.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12993481&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-%20pilot%20-%20redacted-Rel.pdf
- Flight instructor aircraft accident report - NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12993940&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-%20CFI_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Interview with pilot (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 143 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13028917&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Inteview%20with%20Pilot-Rel.pdf
- Photo of airplane at accident site (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12993870&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20of%20Airplane-Rel.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.

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