Champion 7GCBC N3085G

Summary

On 24 July 2015 at about 00:00 local time, a Champion 7GCBC registered N3085G, operated by Konstantine E Bunde, was involved in an accident near Skweetna, Alaska, 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

24 July 2015 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Skweetna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.9305, -151.7309

Aircraft

Champion 7GCBC

Registration

N3085G

Category

Airplane

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

Konstantine E Bunde

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Skweetna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC15CA055

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper decision to land on an unsuitable landing surface which resulted in a nose over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a remote unimproved airstrip. Before the attempted landing, he made a low pass and determined that the dirt airstrip was clear of debris, and had what appeared to be grass on either side of the landing surface. During the final approach the airplane drifted about 10 to 15 feet to the left of the pilots intended touchdown point, and was aligned with the side of the airstrip. Having determined that the vegetation along the sides of the runway was grass the pilot elected not to execute a go-around and proceeded with the landing. The pilot realized, as the airplane touched down and immediately nosed over that the vegetation alongside the airstrip was not grass but alder brush. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, vertical stabilizer and left lift strut. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he would have aborted the landing.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.