- Date
- September 30, 1999, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Powderly, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4873EChampion 7FC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 2, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990930045149A
- Case key
- 47629
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane, during which he failed to detect the disconnected tailwheel steering assembly.
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.
Analysis
During the landing roll, the airplane was uncontrollable and 'veered violently to the right.' The pilot added full power to avoid hitting a house. Subsequently, the airplane passed over the house, landed, and slid to a stop on its nose. Examination revealed that the springs had been removed from the tailwheel assembly. The pilot/owner stated that he did not look at the tailwheel assembly during the preflight.
Factual narrative
On September 30, 1999, at 1030 central daylight time, a Champion 7FC tailwheel equipped airplane, N4873E, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a go-around at a private turf airstrip near Powderly, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight departed from the private Flying Tiger Airport near Powderly, Texas, approximately 10 minutes prior to the accident.
The pilot/owner reported to the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), that the airplane was at the Flying Tiger Airport, Powderly, Texas, for an annual maintenance inspection. To the owner's knowledge, the mechanic had not performed the requested maintenance on the aircraft, and the owner decided to fly the airplane to another private airstrip at Powderly, Texas for the annual inspection. The owner stated that during the departure from the Flying Tiger Airport, the takeoff had "felt touchy." During the landing at Powderly, the airplane was uncontrollable during the landing roll and "veered violently to the right." The pilot added full power to avoid hitting a house. Subsequently, the airplane passed over the house, landed, and "slid to a stop on its nose."
The pilot and the FAA inspector examined the aircraft. The tailwheel springs were found removed from the tailwheel assembly. The fuselage was damaged at the right wing strut attachment point and the right wing spar was bent. The pilot's total flight time was 700 hours, of which 30 hours were in the accident aircraft.
The pilot reported to the IIC that following the accident, he was informed that the mechanic at the Flying Tiger Airport had removed the springs from the tailwheel. The pilot further stated that he did not look at the tailwheel assembly during the preflight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4873E
- Reported as
- Champion 7FC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7FC-313
- Engine
- Continental C90, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jerry D. Jackson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE
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
- 56
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 700 total · 30 in this make and model · 6 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.