Champion 7ECA N6096F

Summary

On 5 April 2007 at about 01:00 local time, a Champion 7ECA registered N6096F, operated by Daniel Morasch, was involved in an accident near East Wenatchee, Washington, 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

5 April 2007 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

East Wenatchee, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Pangborn Memorial (EAT)

Coordinates

47.3983, -120.2061

Aircraft

Champion 7ECA

Registration

N6096F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Daniel Morasch

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wenatchee → Wenatchee

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA07LA093

Nobody was injured.

Separation of the left main landing gear shock absorbing strut during takeoff. A missing screw was a factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that as the aircraft lifted off of the runway, he heard a "sound" from behind the passenger seat. The pilot received a radio call from another aircraft informing him that the "left landing gear did not look right." The pilot could not see the left landing gear leg from his seat, so he made a low, slow pass over an observer on the ground, who informed him via radio that the landing gear was "detached from the strut and dangling from the center of the fuselage." The pilot circled around and made a precautionary landing. The aircraft momentarily touched down on just the right main wheel and tail wheel, and then the left wing lowered and contacted the runway. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control, and the aircraft ground looped to the left, coming to a rest in an upright position. Post-accident inspection of the aircraft by one of the owners revealed that the left landing gear lock nut was missing a lock nut set screw. According to the owner, without the set screw it is possible that the lock nut could have unthreaded, which would have allowed the cylinder assembly to separate from the axle strut assembly.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.