- Date
- February 11, 2004, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sebring, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N246SGAmerican Champion 7GCAA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040211013689A
- Case key
- 58739
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 control during the landing rollout which resulted in the airplane ground looping and incurring damage.
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 pilot stated that his approach to land on runway 18 was uneventful. The pilot further stated that as the airplane touched down on the mains and tail wheels simultaneously, the airplane suddenly veered to the left. He said he applied right rudder in an attempt maintain control of the airplane, but it skidded and swung to the left. According to the pilot, there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
On February 11, 2004, about 1400 eastern standard time, an American Champion 7GCAA, N246SG, registered to and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, ground looped during landing at the Sebring Regional Airport, Sebring, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot and passenger received no injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from Avon Park Municipal Airport, Avon Park, Florida, the same day, about 1330.
The pilot stated that his approach to land on runway 18 was uneventful. The pilot further stated that as the airplane touched down on the mains and tail wheels simultaneously, the airplane suddenly veered to the left. He said he applied right rudder in an attempt maintain control of the airplane, but it skidded and swung to the left. According to the pilot, there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N246SG
- Reported as
- American Champion 7GCAA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 473-2003
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John R. & Claire M. Lensis
- Registered owner
- John R. & Claire M. Lensis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- AVO · Avon Park, FL
- Destination
- SEF · Sebring, FL
- Airport
- KSEB · Sebring Regional Airport, runway 18
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
- 68
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 530 total · 37 in this make and model · 49 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.