Champion 8KCAB N109AC

Summary

On 21 June 1995 at about 00:27 local time, a Champion 8KCAB registered N109AC was involved in an accident near Frankfort, Illinois, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 June 1995 at 00:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Frankfort, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

41.4894, -87.8294

Aircraft

Champion 8KCAB

Registration

N109AC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI95FA191

1 person died.

the pilot-in-command's overconfidence in his personal ability in attempting to teach aerobatics, his lack of experience as a flight instructor, and allowing the airplane to get into a position where its never exceed speed and design stress limits were exceeded. The second pilot's improper maneuver was a factor.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT-OWNER WAS GIVING AEROBATIC INSTRUCTION TO ANOTHER PRIVATE PILOT. THE PILOT HAD THE SECOND PILOT PLACE THE AIRPLANE INTO INVERTED FLIGHT SO HE COULD SEE WHERE THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE SHOULD BE DURING AN AILERON ROLL. THE SECOND PILOT WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE WITH FULL POWER AND HIGH RPM. HE TOLD THE SECOND PILOT TO ROLL OUT OF THE INVERTED FLIGHT. THE SECOND PILOT PULLED AFT ON THE CONTROL STICK AND DID A SPLIT-S MANEUVER. THE AIRSPEED WAS ABOVE THE NEVER EXCEED SPEED DURING ITS DESCENT. HE KNEW THIS BECAUSE HE HAD FLOWN ABOVE THAT SPEED BEFORE SO THAT HE COULD KNOW WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE. AS HE BEGAN TO START RECOVERY THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED, AND WAS THE FIRST AIRFRAME COMPONENT ALONG THE WRECKAGE TRAIL. THE LEFT WING WAS THE SECOND ITEM ALONG THE WRECKAGE TRAIL, AND WAS MANGLED AND TWISTED. THE LEFT WING'S MAIN WING STRUT ATTACH FITTING HAD A FATIGUE STRIATION PATTERN THROUGH ABOUT 90% OF ITS AFT LEG. FATIGUE CRACKING WENT THROUGH ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF THE FITTING'S FORWARD LEG.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.