- Date
- March 19, 2006, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Zellwood, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4387CChampion 7EC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Orlando FSDO
- FAA report
- 20060319006469A
- Case key
- 63372
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
A loss of directional control due to the spring connecting the rudder to the tailwheel horn being detached.
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 made a "normal approach" and landed on runway 09. He said that on rollout, "the aircraft began to swerve, first to the left, then to the right, then back to the left and finally swerved sharply to the right, leaving the runway and proceeding into a water filled drainage ditch that ran parallel to the runway." The airplane was later moved to a hangar. The pilot reported that post-accident examination revealed "the spring connecting the rudder to the tail wheel horn had detached."
Factual narrative
On March 19, 2006, approximately 1300 eastern standard time, a Champion 7EC, N4387, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it ground looped during landing at the Orlando North Airpark, Zellwood, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and passenger on board the airplane were not injured. The flight originated from Gilbert Airport, Winter Haven, Florida, approximately 1215.
According to the pilot's accident report, he made a "normal approach" and landed on runway 09. "On rollout, the aircraft began to swerve, first to the left, then to the right, then back to the left and finally swerved sharply to the right, leaving the runway and proceeding into a water filled drainage ditch that ran parallel to the runway."
The airplane was later moved to a hangar. The pilot said that post-accident examination revealed "the spring connecting the rudder to the tail wheel horn had detached."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4387C
- Reported as
- Champion 7EC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7EC-416
- Airframe hours
- 3,864
- Engine
- Continental C90, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2005
- Departed
- KGIF · Winter Haven, FL
- Destination
- FA83 · Zellwood, FL
- Airport
- FA83 · Orlando North Airpark, runway 09, 3,000 × 100 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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2004
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 5,150 total · 1,075 in this make and model · 15 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- LEE
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 N4387C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.