GAA17CA115

NTSB accident investigation · American Champion 7GCAA · Bainbridge, GA · January 16, 2017

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
January 16, 2017, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
Place
Bainbridge, GA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N2540FAmerican Champion 7GCAA
Defining event
Landing-flare/touchdown: Aerodynamic stall/spin
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 4, 2017
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20170116000509A
Case key
94622

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 student pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during final approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, and his subsequent loss of directional control after touchdown.

Findings · 3

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilotAmerican Champion 7GCAA: 4 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: angle of attackAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceededAmerican Champion 7GCAA: 1 caseAll aircraft: 990 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedAmerican Champion 7GCAA: 2 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause

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 solo student pilot in a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he had completed five touch-and-go landings and maneuvers in the local area before returning for a full-stop landing. While on final approach about 50 ft above ground, he reduced throttle to idle and allowed the airspeed to slow, and the left wing dropped abruptly. The left main landing gear touched down on the runway, the airplane veered to the left into grass, and it then nosed over. The left wing lift strut and the rudder sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot failed to submit the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 Pilot/ Operator Aircraft Accident/ Incident Report.

Factual narrative

The solo student pilot in a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he had completed five touch-and-go landings and maneuvers in the local area before returning for a full stop landing. He reported that while on final approach about 50 feet above ground, he reduced throttle to idle, allowed the airspeed to slow, and the left wing dropped abruptly. The left main landing gear touched down on the runway, the airplane veered to the left into grass, and nosed over. The left wing lift strut and the rudder sustained substantial damage. The student pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot failed to submit the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 Pilot/ Operator Aircraft Accident/ Incident Report.

Aircraft

Registration
N2540F
Reported as
American Champion 7GCAA (NO SERIES)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
96
Built
1965
Engine
Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
AG Flight Pilot Training
Registered owner
Howell, William F.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
BGE · Bainbridge, GA
Destination
BGE · Bainbridge, GA
Airport
BGE · Decatur County Industrial Air, runway 09, 5,502 × 149 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Unknown

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
19
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Front

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
130° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
6,000 ft broken
Temperature
61 °F, dew point 59 °F
Altimeter
30.27 inHg
Observed at
KBGE

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 14, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 648 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.