- Date
- May 15, 2010, 09:05 local (13:05 UTC)
- Place
- Glens Falls, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N720ACAmerican Champion 7GCBC
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100515034639A
- Case key
- 76037
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 directional control during a takeoff attempt.
Findings · 2
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that the purpose of the flight was to conduct touch and go landings on a north-oriented grass runway. After the first landing, he "misjudged the remaining takeoff distance" and was "a bit slow while trying to get airborne." As the airplane lifted off, it encountered a "gust" of wind from the left, then drifted to the right, contacted the runway, and nosed over. The airplane came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing spar and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures. The automated weather report at the accident airport reported winds from 330 degrees at 9 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that the purpose of the flight was to conduct touch-and-go landings on a north-oriented grass runway. After the first landing, he "misjudged the remaining takeoff distance" and was "a bit slow while trying to get airborne." As the airplane lifted off, it encountered a "gust" of wind from the left, then drifted to the right, contacted the runway, and nosed over. The airplane came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing spar and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures. The automated weather report at the accident airport reported winds from 330 degrees at 9 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N720AC
- Reported as
- American Champion 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1270-99
- Airframe hours
- 522
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Esmi Flight Services LLC
- Registered owner
- Esmi Flight Services LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2009
- Departed
- GFL · Glen Falls, NY
- Destination
- GFL · Glen Falls, NY
- Airport
- GFL · Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport, runway 01, 2,200 × 100 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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 2, 2008
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,175 total · 193 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GFL
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 502 KB 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.