- Date
- December 29, 2005, 13:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place
- Fredericksburg, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7569FChampion 7ECA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20051229031649A
- Case key
- 63015
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control on the landing roll-out. A factor was the crosswind.
Analysis
Prior to landing on Runway 14, the 418-hour commercial pilot made a low approach over the runway in his tailwheel-equipped single-engine airplane to check the wind conditions, as he was aware that a 14 knot gusting crosswind prevailed from the right side of the runway. After the low pass, the pilot reentered the right downwind for a full-stop landing. On the second approach, the airplane veered to the right after touching down, and after the pilot made corrections, the airplane ground-looped off the left side of the runway. Runway 14 was reported to be 5,002-feet long, by 75-feet wide asphalt runway. Both occupants were able to exit the airplane unassisted.
Factual narrative
Prior to landing on Runway 14, the 418-hour commercial pilot made a low approach over the runway in his tailwheel-equipped single-engine airplane to check the wind conditions, as he was aware that a 14 knot gusting crosswind prevailed from the right side of the runway. After the low pass, the pilot reentered the right downwind for a full-stop landing. On the second approach, the airplane veered to the right after touching down, and after the pilot made corrections, the airplane ground-looped off the left side of the runway. Runway 14 was reported to be 5,002-feet long, by 75-feet wide asphalt runway. Both occupants were able to exit the airplane unassisted.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7569F
- Reported as
- Champion 7ECA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 731-70
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William Widner
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- T82 · Fredericksburg, TX
- Airport
- T82 · Gillespie County Airport, runway 14
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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 418 total · 27 in this make and model · 36 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.