- Date
- July 3, 1995, 16:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place
- Moses Lake, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1887GChampion 7GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 29, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950703044089A
- Case key
- 42186
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 directional control during the landing and go around. The crosswind and gusty wind conditions were factors in the accident.
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 landed with strong crosswinds and gusts. He was unable to maintain directional control during the landing rollout, and executed a go-around. He stated that during the go-around the airplane headed towards the wind tee. He was able to fly over the wind tee. The pilot stated that another gust of wind hit him, and he was unable to maintain control. The airplane impacted the ground and a concrete fuel tank on the downwind side of the runway.
Factual narrative
On July 3, 1995, about 1610 Pacific daylight time, N1887G, a Champion 7-GCBC airplane, operated by the pilot/owner, collided with an object during go around at Moses Lake, Washington, and was substantially damaged. The private pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
According to the pilot, a landing was attempted on runway 16 at the Moses Lake Municipal Airport prior to the accident. During the landing, a gusting right crosswind prevailed and the airplane veered to the right after touchdown. The pilot attempted to correct for the drift by adding full left rudder, but to no avail. The pilot stated that he then added full power and began to go around for another attempt. During the takeoff, another gust of wind forced the airplane to continue turning toward the wind tee. The pilot said he made the airplane fly over the wind tee and ended up on the ground on the other side of the runway with the right wing up in the air. The airplane began to cartwheel and the left wing was substantially damaged when the aircraft collided with a concrete fuel container.
The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions associated with the airplane. The reported wind conditions near the time of the accident at a nearby airport (Grant County) indicated that the winds were blowing from a magnetic bearing of 250 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 25 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1887G
- Reported as
- Champion 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 117
- Airframe hours
- 683
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gerber, Lee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 25, 1994 · 28 hours before
- Departed
- 2S4 · Warden, WA
- Destination
- WA40
- Airport
- WA40 · Moses Lake Municipal, runway 16, 2,500 × 50 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
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 193 total · 32 in this make and model · 147 as pilot in command · 49 in the last 90 days · 39 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 65 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MWH, 7 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.