- Date
- September 7, 1996, 12:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Edgewood, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9071LChampion 7GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 23, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960907037049A
- Case key
- 19976
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 aircraft control. A factor was a whirlwind.
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
The airplane's lift-off appeared to be normal. As it attained an altitude of 5 to 10 feet above the runway, the right wing dropped and the airplane started a right turn. The pilot tried to correct the turn; however, the aircraft settled and impacted the soft ground off the right side of the runway. Subsequently, the aircraft ground looped. In the pilot's opinion, he had encountered a whirlwind.
Factual narrative
On September 7, 1996, at 1215 mountain daylight time, a Champion 7GCBC, N9071L, owned and operated by a private owner as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, was substantially damaged during takeoff at Sandia Airpark Estates East Airport near Edgewood, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to the pilot, the lift off from runway 27 appeared to be normal. As the airplane attained an altitude of 5 to 10 feet above the runway, the "right wing dropped and [the airplane] started a right turn." He tried to correct the turn; however, the aircraft settled and "impacted the soft ground off the right side of the runway," and the "aircraft started to ground loop." In the pilot's "opinion," he had encountered a "whirl wind."
Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that the left wing spar was bent at mid-span, the left main landing gear was separated from the fuselage, and the fuselage was structurally damaged.
Attempts to obtain a completed Pilot/Operator Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, were unsuccessful.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9071L
- Reported as
- Champion 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 276-70
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James N. Ray
- Registered owner
- Chuck Tuberville
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NM51
- Airport
- NM51 · Sandia Airpark Estates, runway 27, 5,280 × 30 ft, asphalt
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 1,600 total · 350 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABQ, 22 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.