- Date
- May 28, 2020, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Vine Grove, KY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9557SChampion 7ECA
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200528010139A
- Case key
- 101355
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
Aircraft control was not maintained during initial climb with gusting wind that resulted in a collision with power lines and the terrain.
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 pilot reported that after a normal takeoff and initial climb to the height of tree tops, the airplane encountered a couple of wind gusts with wind shear. The pilot recovered airplane control when the airplane encountered another gust that dropped the airplane down into power lines and subsequently the terrain. The fuselage and wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after a normal takeoff and initial climb to the height of tree tops, the airplane encountered a couple of wind gusts with wind shear. The pilot recovered airplane control when the airplane encountered another gust that dropped the airplane down into power lines and subsequently the terrain. The fuselage and wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9557S
- Reported as
- Champion 7ECA (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 371
- Built
- 1965
- Airframe hours
- 3,724.14
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 19, 2019 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- 70KY · Vine Grove, KY
- Destination
- 70KY · Vine Grove, KY
- Airport
- 70KY · Vine Grove, runway 11, 2,700 × 60 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 30, 2018
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 8,500 total · 300 in this make and model · 12 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Observed at
- KFTK, 5 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 2, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.