- Date
- January 5, 1991, 15:45 local (Jan 6, 1991, 01:45 UTC)
- Place
- Hilo, HI
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N996MPChampion 7ECA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910105000159A
- Case key
- 27089
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 failure of the pilot to maintain an adequate airspeed while maneuvering. A factor in the accident was the pilot's decision to attempt steep and abrupt maneuvers during the takeoff initial climb phase.
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
Several ground witnesses on the airport reported that the aircraft initiated a steep climb after liftoff, then seemed to roll into a steep right turn at about midfield. The aircraft seemed to stall and abruptly roll to the left over the top into a spin entry. The aircraft was observed to initiate a recovery from the spin but did not regain level flight prior to colliding with the ground in an airport ramp area. The Hilo ATCT said the pilot requested a right turn out on departure to proceed to the local practice area. The aircraft was examined by an FAA airworthiness inspector from the honolulu FSDO. The inspector found no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure of the engine or aircraft control system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N996MP
- Reported as
- Champion 7ECA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 272
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235C, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James N. Burdeaux
- Airport
- ITO · Hilo, runway 3, 5,600 × 150 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
- 30
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 2,257 total · 35 in this make and model · 2,230 as pilot in command · 220 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- ITO, 1 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.
Other investigations on N996MP · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.