- Date
- July 17, 1996, 10:52 local (14:52 UTC)
- Place
- Rochester, NH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8910RAmerican Champion 7EC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 1, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960717018019A
- Case key
- 39219
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 inadequate compensation for winds and his failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a ground loop and dragging of the wing on the runway.
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/owner and a passenger were landing on runway 33 at their destination airport. The pilot stated that after touchdown, as the airplane decelerated, he lowered the tail of the airplane to the runway. A gust of wind then caused the airplane to 'weathervane,' the airplane ground looped, and the right wing struck the ground. The pilot estimated the winds were from 300 degrees at 8 knots.
Factual narrative
On July 17, 1996, at 1052 eastern daylight time, an American Champion 7EC, N8910R, was substantially damaged after landing at the Skyhaven Airport, Rochester, New Hampshire. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at Hampton, New Hampshire, about 1030. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector interviewed the pilot. In the Inspector's statement, he said:
"...The pilot landed on runway 33 at the Skyhaven Airport in wind conditions he estimated were from 300 degrees at 8 knots As the aircraft decelerated, the pilot lowered the tail to the runway. Approaching a taxiway, a gust of wind caused the airplane to 'weathervane.' The airplane departed the left side of the runway and ground looped."
Examination of the wreckage by the FAA Inspector revealed no preimpact failure of the airplane's controls.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8910R
- Reported as
- American Champion 7EC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 716
- Airframe hours
- 2,600
- Engine
- Continental C-90-12F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- George O. Olson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 8, 1995 · 108 hours before
- Departed
- 7BE · Hampton, NH
- Destination
- 6B1
- Airport
- 6B1 · Sky Haven, runway 33, 4,001 × 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
- 64
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,475 total · 810 in this make and model · 50 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.