# NTSB SEA07LA190: Champion 7KCAB, N827BM, Orangeburg, SC, June 29, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 29, 2007, 09:00 local (13:00 UTC) - Place: Orangeburg, SC - Coordinates: 33.387779, -80.910003 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3878&lon=-80.9100&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 29, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 66097 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA07LA190 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66097/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07LA190 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during go-around which resulted in a stall. The tailwind was a factor. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, go-around (vfr) - go-around - attempted, pilot in command - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The pilot was performing a go-around, the airplane stalled, and collided with the trees. The pilot was landing at his destination. One side of the airport contained trees and a house and the south side had a clear approach to the runway. The pilot decided to land to the north; however, by doing so he encountered a left, quartering tailwind. During the landing, the airplane was blown from the runway by a gust of wind and the pilot attempted a go-around. The airplane stalled and collided with trees. The pilot said that there were no mechanical malfunctions. The pilot did not hold a current medical as was required for the accident flight. ## Factual narrative On June 29, 2007, at 0900 eastern daylight time, a Champion 7KCAB, N827BM, collided with terrain during a go-around at Dry Swamp Airport, Orangeburg, South Carolina. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot, who was also the registered owner of the airplane, was operating it under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot departed Do-Little Field Airport, St. Matthews, South Carolina about 0840. According to the Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator, the pilot was landing on runway 20. Witnesses indicated that the pilot was landing downwind. During the landing attempt, the pilot initiated a go-around and the airplane appeared to stall, prior to impact with trees off the end of the runway. In a written statement, the pilot indicated that he was flying his airplane to a local airport for its annual inspection. The north end of the airport has tall pine trees and houses. The south end has a clear approach over a swamp. The pilot decided to land to the north, in order to avoid the obstacles. In this landing approach, the pilot encountered a left, quartering tailwind. As the airplane was about to touch down, a gust of wind blew it from over the runway. The pilot attempted a go-around and the airplane stalled and impacted trees off the end of the runway. He stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions. The pilot did not hold a current medical and indicated that he was operating under sport pilot rules. He did not have a current flight review. According to 14 CFR Part 61.303, a pilot holding a driver's license may operate, "Any light sport aircraft for which you hold the endorsements required for its category, class, and make and model." The type certificate data sheet for the airplane showed that it was certified at a gross weight of 1,650 pounds. A light sport airplane is defined by a maximum takeoff weight of 1,320 pounds for aircraft not intended for operation on water. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N827BM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N827BM-2007-09-12), registration cancelled 2007-09-12, S/N 61, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Champion 7KCAB - Registry model: [Champion 7KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7kcab) (registry code 21101P3) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 61 - Airframe hours: 1107.23 - Engines: Textron Lycoming IO-320-EA2 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Bill Mitchell - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2006, 43 hours before - Departed: SC90, St. Matthews, SC - Destination: 1DS, Orangeburg, SC - Airport: 1DS, Dry Swamp Airport, runway 02, 2,900 × 60 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; seat: front; flight hours: 3,500 total, 450 in this make and model, 3,275 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: OGB, 6 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20070629016719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070629016719A), Jun 29, 2007: Bbavia 7KCAB, Cordova, SC, Destroyed. (-23) The aircraft circled the field and atempted a landing on runway 03. The aircraft was too high and too fast and the pilot executed a go around at the… 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.