- Date
- November 8, 2020, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Montgomery, NY · Adjacent to runway, in grass
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N139PCAmerican Champion 7GCBC
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 102740
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 landing, resulting in a ground loop and structural damage to the airframe.
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 reported that he was landing with the tailwheel-equipped airplane in calm wind. Upon touchdown, the airplane veered to the right despite attempts to keep it tracking straight with left brake inputs. The airplane ground looped to the right and came to rest in the grass, adjacent to the runway. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the wreckage after the accident reported that there was substantial damage to the fuselage near the main landing gear strut attachment points and near the tailwheel. Examination of the wheel brakes, tires, and flight controls showed no indication of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure, nor did the pilot report one.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N139PC
- Reported as
- American Champion 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1339-2002
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 952
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 19, 2020 · 12 hours before
- Airport
- MGJ · Orange County, runway 04/22, 5,006 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Handheld GPS
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 319 total · 268 in this make and model · 319 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.33 inHg
- Observed at
- MGJ
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 16, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 50.7 MB in all.