- Date
- June 26, 2017, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Watertown, SD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3195CChampion 7BCM
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170626009589A
- Case key
- 95455
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 the landing roll.
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 reported that, during the landing roll, the right wing suddenly raised. He applied aileron and rudder corrections; however, the left wing impacted the ground as the airplane ground looped. The left wing was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, the right wing suddenly came up. He applied aileron and rudder corrections, however the left wing impacted the ground as the airplane ground looped. The left wing was substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3195C
- Reported as
- Champion 7BCM (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7BCM-171
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 2,600
- Engine
- Continental C-85-8F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Thomas P. Ross
- Registered owner
- Thomas P. Ross
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2016
- Departed
- FFM · Fergus Falls, MN
- Destination
- ATY · Watertown, SD
- Airport
- ATY · Watertown Rgnl, runway 35, 6,893 × 100 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 18, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 852.5 total · 82.3 in this make and model · 770.5 as pilot in command · 1.3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- KATY, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 31, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB 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.