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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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November 15, 2011 · American Champion Aircraft 7GCAA · N497AC

Baker, CA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
November 15, 2011
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Baker, CA
Aircraft
American Champion Aircraft 7GCAA
Tail Number
N497AC
Operator
William Mcclellan
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
WPR12CA043

The pilot reported that he was part of a flight of three airplanes that had taken off from a nearby private dirt airstrip about 18 miles from the accident location. The pilots in the flight intended to land their airplanes in a clear area of a field. They overflew the intended 1,000-foot-long landing area to make sure it was clear. The accident pilot landed second, and, nearing the touchdown, noted that the wind was calm, but with periods of variability. He stated that a temporary tailwind of about 5 knots caused a higher ground speed on touchdown than he expected. As the airplane neared the end of the landing area, the pilot observed that the airplane had too much speed to stop in the remaining distance and an aborted landing was no longer possible. The pilot stated that he entered a left turn and let it progress to a controlled ground loop to avoid overrunning the landing area. The right wing hit a raised dirt area, and the right wing tip and spar, right aileron, and right landing gear and wheel were damaged. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause

Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Surface speed/braking-Not attained/maintained

Full Narrative

The pilot reported that he was part of a flight of three airplanes that had taken off from a nearby private dirt strip about 18 miles from the accident location. The pilots in the flight intended to land in a clear area of a field. They overflew the intended landing strip to make sure it was clear. The landing area was about 1,000 feet long and 1/4 mile wide. The accident pilot landed second, and nearing the touchdown, noted that the wind was calm, but with periods of speed increase and variability. He stated that a temporary tail wind had come up of about 5 knots, which caused a higher ground speed on touchdown than he expected. As the airplane neared the end of the landing strip, the pilot observed that the airplane had too much speed to stop in the remaining distance and a go-around was no longer possible. The pilot stated that he entered a left turn and let it progress to a controlled ground loop to avoid running off the end of the dirt strip. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane, and that the right wing tip and spar, along with the aileron, and right landing gear and wheel were damaged.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:30 PST
Nearest AirportDirt Strip (0nm)
Runway27
Runway Length1000 ft
Runway Width1000 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAmerican Champion Aircraft 7GCAA
Tail NumberN497AC
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorWilliam Mcclellan
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsSuperior Vantage · O-360-A3A2 · Reciprocating · 180
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 65 · Third Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind300° @ 19 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 30 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time22:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data