SEA97FA049

The 7-GCBC Champion was observed engaged in repeated spin maneuvers. A witness reported observing that 'the plane was heading straight down spinning clockwise again' and 'was close to the elevation where it pulled out the first time. (That's) when I saw a piece of the plane come off.' This was the pilot's fifth flight since checking out in the aircraft (3.4 hours total flight time). According to witnesses, spins were conducted on all five flights. Postcrash examination revealed that the outboard right wing tip cap and some attached wing fabric had separated from the aircraft during flight. The examination also revealed that the forward and aft right wing spar structure were at the ground impact site of the fuselage. The right wing forward spar displayed upwards bending deformation and splintering just outboard of the forward wing strut attach point. NTSB records indicated the aircraft had been involved in an accident on 6/13/77 in Alaska; however, no aircraft records could be located to ascertain the extent of the damage, if any, to the right wing. An examination of the right wing spar structure revealed that it was within dimensional tolerances set by the manufacturer.

History of flight

On January 19, 1997, approximately 1240 Pacific standard time a Champion 7-GCBC, N9677S, operated by Cottage Grove Aviation, and being flown by a private pilot, was destroyed during an in flight collision with terrain following a loss of control in flight while maneuvering near Creswell, Oregon. The pilot-in-command and passenger were both fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal in nature, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from the Cottage Grove airport, Cottage Grove, Oregon, shortly after noon.

Several adults heard or witnessed the accident. One ear-witness described hearing a "loud pop followed by 5 seconds of fluttering and (the) thud." He characterized the sound as "just like an old paper kite that you broke in a strong wind with the loud pop of the wood followed by the flutter of the paper (or canvas) as it dove to the ground" (refer to statement of Paul Spicer).

One eye-witness reported hearing the aircraft's engine "winding up" followed by silence. This event was repeated several times after which the witness acquired visual contact with the aircraft. He reported that when he saw the aircraft it was "pointed straight down towards the ground and was spinning relatively slow(ly) as it came down." He further stated that he "could hear a noise like a 'flag flapping in a very stiff wind'" and that it appeared that the "end of one of the wings was missing and some of the sheet metal had torn loose and was causing the 'flapping' sound" (refer to statement of Joseph Johnston).

Another eye-witness reported observing the aircraft performing multiple "half loops and spins" and that it then flew away for several minutes returning from the west. When he heard it again he observed that "the plane was heading straight down spinning clockwise again. The plane was close to the elevation where it pulled out the first time. (That's) when I saw a piece of the plane come off" and that a few seconds later "I heard a faint sound of a crunch" (refer to statement of Brad Elliott).

Additionally, two young boys (ages 12 and 13) witnessed the aircraft maneuvering in the area, and the subsequent accident. They were interviewed by the investigator in charge (refer to ATTACHMENT I-1). They reported observing the aircraft entering spin maneuvers (five or six separate spin events) but that no other acrobatic type maneuvers were observed. They also reported that during the last maneuver, either during the end of the spin or the beginning of the pullout something broke off the right wing.

Personnel information

According to documentation recovered at the accident site and also acquired from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot had been issued a private pilot certificate on April 12, 1994, with an airplane single engine land rating. His most recent FAA medical was conducted on March 15, 1996. He was issued a second class medical certificate with no limitations at that time.

The pilot's most recent logbook was opened on April 23, 1994, with 90.7 hours of total (all single engine) flight time brought forward. The last entry within the logbook was dated January 15, 1997, and at that time the pilot's total (all single engine) flight time was 290.8 hours, and his total pilot-in-command time was 225.0 hours.

His total experience in the model 7-GCBC aircraft (all in N9677S) was reconstructed from this most recent logbook and paperwork recovered from the accident site, the operator and witnesses. The following is a reconstruction of that time:

FLT# DATE TT PIC REMARKS #1 01/14/97 0.6 0.6 "Citabria checkout complete (signed #CFI 447727660)" Logbook entry.*

#2 01/14/97 0.4 0.4 "Spins fully developed right & left, rolls, steep banked turns, three point." Logbook entry. Refer to statement of Anne Walton

#3 01/15/97 0.7 0.7 "Rolls, spins, steep banked turns, wing-overs, three point & wheel landings." Logbook entry. Refer to statements of Joshua Bloom & Stanley Houck.

#4 01/19/97 0.8 0.8 Refer to statement of Katherine Walton.

#5 01/19/97 0.7 0.7 Accident flight

*Under the "Additional Endorsements" section of the pilot's logbook an entry dated 01/14/97 read as follows: "I have given Mr. Jeremy Castle flight training in spin entry, spins, and spin recovery techniques and he has demonstrated competency in those maneuvers. (signed #CFI 447727660)"

The only reference to "spins" noted in this flight log (aside from those referenced above) were those entered on 04/07/94 during a 0.6 hour dual flight in a Pitts S-2B. The remarks section of the log contained the following entry: "Loops, rolls, stalls, spins, inverted spins, flat spins, point rolls, familiarization to type (signed) #1703175." No other references to spins or acrobatic maneuvers were noted.

The manager of the fixed based operation (FBO) at Cottage Grove airport where the aircraft was based, reported to the investigator in charge that both he and the pilot's check pilot (refer to flight #1 above) had told the pilot that he was not to conduct any acrobatic maneuvers while flying the aircraft.

Aircraft information

N9677S, a Champion "Citabria" 7-GCBC, serial number 28, was, according to FAA records, manufactured in early 1966. The aircraft was privately owned and leased to Cottage Grove Aviation, the local FBO at the Cottage Grove airport. The only aircraft log made available to the NTSB was annotated "Log #2" on its first page. This log was opened with an initial entry of 02/02/93 showing a tach time of 1,439.0 hours, TTSN of 1,691.0 hours and a "100 hr inspection completed this date IAW FAR 43." The last inspection documented within the log was on 10/17/96 at a tach time of 1754.4 hours (TTSN 1,989.1 hours) and was recorded as a 100 hour inspection. The next, and last entry within the log, was dated on the same date and 0.4 hours later, and documented the installation of an overhauled propeller. The aircraft's approximate total time of 2,039 hours was derived from paperwork at the accident site showing the aircraft dispatched at the beginning of flight #4 (01/19/97 from above) with a total of 1,804.7 hours of tach time (50.3 additional hours of tach time since the TTSN of 1989.1).

A search of NTSB accident records revealed that a 7-GCBC, N9677S, was involved in an accident on June 13, 1977, at Hanagita Lake, Alaska, whereby the aircraft incurred substantial damage. The aviation brief reported that the accident occurred during taxi to takeoff when the aircraft nosed over. A search of FAA records on the aircraft in Oklahoma City revealed no reference to the accident. However, an FAA Form 337 "Major Repair and Alteration" dated 02/12/74 contained the following entry "Recovered fuselage and flaps with Stitts Poly Fiber #101, S.T.C. SA-108 WE, as per Stitts instruction manual (signed A&P #1505004." A similar S.T.C. dated 02/02/93 was maintained with the aircraft's current logbook (refer to ATTACHMENT M-I).

As aircraft logbooks previous to February of 1993 were not available, it could not be determined if any previous damage or corrective maintenance had been incurred to the right wing prior to the time of the accident (refer to ATTACHMENT FAA-I).

Meteorological information

The aviation surface weather observation taken at 1256 hours at the Mahlon-Sweet airport, Eugene, Oregon, on the afternoon of the accident repo