American Champion (Acac) 7GCAA N77GA

Summary

On 3 June 2003 at about 16:35 local time, a American Champion (Acac) 7GCAA registered N77GA, operated by Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, was involved in an accident near Frederick, Maryland, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 June 2003 at 16:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Frederick, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK)

Coordinates

39.4183, -77.3794

Aircraft

American Champion (Acac) 7GCAA

Registration

N77GA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Frederick → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC03LA118

Nobody was injured.

The certified flight instructor's improper flare and his delayed remedial action. The pilot's failure to maintain directional control is a contributing factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot was executing his first landing in the airplane in an effort to obtain a tailwheel signoff. While approaching the runway, the airplane encountered a crosswind from the left. The certified flight instructor (CFI) instructed the private pilot to correct for the crosswind by adding right rudder inputs, which he did throughout landing to touchdown. After the airplane touched down, the private pilot began to over-control the airplane with the rudder. The CFI assumed the controls and added full power. The airplane climbed back into the air and the CFI tried to realign it with the runway centerline. The airplane descended back to the ground and touched down hard on the left main landing gear, shearing the landing gear assembly from the fuselage. The airplane then departed the left side of the runway, where the left wing dug into the ground. The airplane came to rest upright. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any abnormalities with the airplane flight controls, nor did the pilots report any. The winds reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, were calm.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.