American Champion 7GCB N9967Y

Summary

On 2 September 2013 at about 21:00 local time, a American Champion 7GCB registered N9967Y was involved in an accident near Pearsall, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 2013 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Pearsall, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Mc Kinley Field Airport (T30)

Coordinates

28.8222, -99.1089

Aircraft

American Champion 7GCB

Registration

N9967Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pearsall → Pearsall

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13LA518

2 people had minor injuries.

The failure of the rudder cable due to electrical arcing damage from contact with an unguarded battery and the pilot's subsequent loss of control during the go-around.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While in flight, the rudder cable separated. The pilot was able to return to the airport and align the airplane to land. During the landing flare, the airplane began to drift and the pilot was not able to correct the drift. The pilot initiated a go-around; however, the airplane then entered an aerodynamic stall and subsequently impacted the ground. Examination of the rudder cable separation area found localized melting, darkening, and oxidation consistent with electrical arcing. The elongation and oxidation of the overstressed wires was consistent with separation at high temperature. According to the pilot, the passenger had gotten his foot caught in the rudder cable. The pilot believed that the rudder cable came in contact with the battery at that time; the battery box did not have a cover, and the positive terminal of the battery was unguarded. The contact would have resulted in the electrical arcing and the subsequent cable separation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.