# NTSB CHI03LA178: Champion 7GCBC, N9032L, Buffalo, SD, July 28, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 28, 2003, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Buffalo, SD - Coordinates: 45.580554, -103.529724 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.5806&lon=-103.5297&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 57597 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI03LA178 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57597/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA178 ## Probable cause The instructor pilot's inadequate remedial action to the dual student's loss of aircraft control during high speed taxiing which lead to the inadvertent ground loop/swerve. A factor was the student not maintaining aircraft control. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, taxi - aircraft control - not maintained, dual student (contributing factor) - remedial action - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) ## Analysis The tail wheel equipped airplane sustained substantial damage when it ground looped during a high speed taxi. The instructor stated, "The aircraft started to go right, and I assisted the student in straightening it by applying a small amount of left brake. Then the aircraft started to swerve violently to the left, and I applied full right brake, which didn't stop the motion but may have kept the wing from hitting the ground. We made approximately a half circle, turning about 135 [degrees], managing to stay on the runway the whole time. ... We were using Runway 30 with a light east wind." The instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident and stated that the aircraft sustained damage to the airframe tubing during the accident. ## Factual narrative On July 28, 2003, about 1800 central daylight time, a Champion 7GCBC, N9032L, piloted by a commercial rated instructor pilot, sustained substantial damage when it ground looped during a high speed taxi at Harding County Airport (9D2), near Buffalo, South Dakota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructor and the dual student reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight was not operating on a flight plan. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. The instructor pilot reported: We were practicing fast taxi for directional control. The aircraft had slowed enough that the tail was on the ground but we were still going fairly fast (25-30 mph indicated). The aircraft started to go right, and I assisted the student in straightening it by applying a small amount of left brake. Then the aircraft started to swerve violently to the left, and I applied full right brake, which didn't stop the motion but may have kept the wing from hitting the ground. We made approximately a half circle, turning about 135 [degrees], managing to stay on the runway the whole time. The aircraft never left the ground. We were using Runway 30 with a light east wind. The instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident and stated that the aircraft sustained damage to the airframe tubing during the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9032L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9032L), registered now, S/N 259-70, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Champion 7GCBC - Registry model: [Champion 7GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7gcbc) (registry code 21101PK) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 259-70 - Airframe hours: 1820 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Robert W Johnson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 16, 2003, 30 hours before - Departed: 9D2, Buffalo, SD - Airport: 9D2, Harding County, runway 30, 3,900 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 22; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review February 18, 2003; seat: rear; flight hours: 498 total, 69 in this make and model, 388 as pilot in command, 136 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; injuries: none; seat: front; flight hours: 14 total, 12 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: K2WX ## 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 20030728016889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030728016889A), Jul 28, 2003: Bbavia 7GCBC, Buffalo, SD, Minor damage. (-23) During an instructional flight lesson, the student and instructor were practicing "fast taxi" in preparation for take-off. The aircraft started to turn… 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.