- Date
- April 4, 2009, 11:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Monterey, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N224RAAmerican Champion 7GCAA
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090404003219A
- Case key
- 73596
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 the wind conditions and failure to attain/maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The wind was variable and shifting from onshore to offshore. After the run-up, the pilot taxied to the hold short line and noted that the wind continued to shift. Immediately after clearing the pilot for takeoff on runway 10R, the controller told the pilot that the winds had shifted and now were from 330 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot noted that she would be taking off with a left quartering tailwind. During the ground roll, she pushed the stick forward to bring the tail up, then she eased up on the forward pressure and the airplane became airborne momentarily. The pilot was attempting to get the airplane into ground effect for more airspeed, but the wind changed direction again and the airplane yawed to the left. She tried to correct, but stated that there was no lift and no altitude, and the airplane was in a nose-up attitude. The nose quickly dropped to the right, and the airplane came to a rest on its belly off to the right side of the runway. The tail wheel and left gear collapsed, the left wing tip was damaged, and the prop struck the ground. The pilot said that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The wind was variable and shifting from onshore to off-shore. After the run-up, the pilot taxied to the hold short line and noted that the wind continued to shift. Immediately after clearing the pilot for takeoff on runway 10R, the controller told the pilot that the winds had shifted and now were from 330 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot noted that she would be taking off with a left quartering tailwind. During the ground roll, she pushed the stick forward to bring the tail up, then she eased up on the forward pressure, and the airplane became airborne momentarily. The pilot was attempting to get the airplane into ground effect for more airspeed, but the wind changed direction again, and the airplane yawed to the left. She tried to correct, but stated that there was no lift and no altitude, and the airplane was in a nose up attitude. The nose quickly dropped to the right, and the airplane came to a rest on its belly off to the right side of the runway. The tail wheel and left gear collapsed, the left wing tip was damaged, and the prop struck the ground. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N224RA
- Reported as
- American Champion 7GCAA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4832004
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Monterey Bay Aviation
- Registered owner
- David Casarez Excavating, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Departed
- MRY · Monterey, CA
- Destination
- MRY · Monterey, CA
- Airport
- MRY · Monterey, runway 10R, 7,616 × 150 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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 22, 2009
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 308 total · 75 in this make and model · 142 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KMRY
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.