Champion 7GCBC N5183X

Summary

On 22 May 2020 at about 16:23 local time, a Champion 7GCBC registered N5183X was involved in an accident near Carbondale, Illinois, 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

22 May 2020 at 16:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Carbondale, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Southern Illinois Airport (MDH)

Coordinates

37.7781, -89.2519

Aircraft

Champion 7GCBC

Registration

N5183X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1969

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Carbondale → Carbondale

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20CA192

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's excessive brake input while he attempted to maintain directional control during landing roll.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the accident occurred during a wheel landing in the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a hard surface runway. The pilot stated that upon touchdown the airplane began to swerve side-to-side due to the airplane's "natural instability" on the ground. The pilot attempted to maintain directional control by pulling full aft on the control stick and applying maximum braking; however, his excessive brake input while the airplane was in a level pitch attitude caused the airplane to pitch down and the propeller to impact the runway before the airplane pivoted back onto the tailwheel. The airplane came to rest upright on the runway. The tailwheel crushed the lower portion of the rudder when it landed hard on the runway. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A postaccident examination confirmed flight control continuity and found no issues with the wheel brakes or the tailwheel.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.