# NTSB LAX06CA241: American Champion 7GCBC, N53SE, Greenfield, CA, July 20, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 20, 2006, 16:35 local (23:35 UTC) - Place: Greenfield, CA - Coordinates: 36.333332, -121.25 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.3333&lon=-121.2500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 31, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 64173 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX06CA241 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64173/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06CA241 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The tail wheel equipped airplane ground looped and nosed over when it encountered a gust of wind during the landing roll on unimproved terrain. The pilot conducted a touch-and-go on a ridgeline and said that after experiencing no problems he became "over confident" and elected to conduct a full stop landing. During the landing roll, when the airplane was below 5 miles per hour, a gust of wind lifted the left wing. The pilot applied power and attempted to correct for the gust of wind, but lacked the control authority due to the reduced speed. The right wing tip contacted the ground and the airplane rotated to the right. The airplane nosed down exposing the bottom of the fuselage to the wind, which blew the airplane over onto its topside. The pilot reported the wind at 20 knots with gusts. ## Factual narrative On July 20, 2006, at 1635 Pacific daylight time, an American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC, N53SE, ground looped while landing in an unimproved area near Greenfield, California. The airplane was registered to a private individual, and was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to a private individual and was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The local flight originated from the Metz Airport (3CA7), Greenfield, at 1620. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the personal flight. According to the pilot's written statement, the owner and the pilot used the tail wheel equipped airplane primarily for observing wildlife in the local area and utilized its short takeoff and landing characteristics to land in areas not accessible to most other aircraft. After having routine maintenance performed on the airplane, the pilot took it out for what was planned to be a short test flight. After departing Metz airport, the pilot elected to climb straight out to a nearby ridgeline. Once on top of the ridge the pilot decided to make an "exploratory" touch-and-go landing to determine the roughness of the terrain. The wind was from the west at approximately 20 knots with gusts. On this first pass the pilot allowed the plane to slow to about 20 miles/hour (mph) during the ground roll before adding power and going around for another landing. According to the pilot, his original intent was to make three touch-and-goes before bringing the plane to a full stop, but because the first landing was uneventful, he became "over confident" and set up for a full stop landing on the second approach. After touchdown, during a ground roll of about 300 feet and with a speed below 5 mph, the airplane was "hit by a thermal or large gust of wind coming up from the left side of the ridge." The left wing rose at a rate that the pilot described as "alarmingly fast." He applied power, but he lacked the control authority to assist in the recovery. The right wing tip contacted the ground and the airplane rotated to the right on its right main tire and right wing tip through approximately 130 degrees. After 90 degrees of rotation the airplane nosed down exposing the underside of the airplane to the wind. The airplane was then blown over onto its topside. The pilot reported that the airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, vertical stabilizer/rudder, and the fuselage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N53SE](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N53SE), registered now, S/N 1387-2005, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC - Registry model: [American Champion 7GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-7gcbc) (registry code 21101PL) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Superior O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/superior-o-360-series) (registry code 59250, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1387-2005 - Airframe hours: 63.6 - Engines: Superior O-360-A3A2 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Wayne E. Handley - Registered owner: Sanjiva Thielamay - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Aerobatic - Departed: 3CA7, Greenfield, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 1, 2004; seat: front; flight hours: 27,580 total, 340 in this make and model, 27,340 as pilot in command, 28 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 20 knots, gusting 25 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060720014799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060720014799A), Jul 20, 2006: Bbavia 7GCBC, Greenfield, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) Airman was performing "touch & go's" on a rural farming road when on the second landing the aircraft encountered a thermal gust of wind resulting with… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.