American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC accident near Hayti, SD
On July 3, 2011, an American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC (airplane) was involved in an accident near Hayti, SD. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 3, 2011
- Place
- Hayti, SD
- Aircraft
- American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 44.677°N, 97.248°W
- NTSB ID
- 20110703X03457
Official records · CEN11FA437
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn July 2, 2011, at 2136 central daylight time, an American Champion Aircraft model 7GCBC, N711AT, was substantially damaged when it struck power lines and terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude near Hayti, South Dakota. The pilot and his two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight that departed from the pilot's private airstrip located near Bryant, South Dakota, at 2126. There were no eyewitnesses to the accident. According to the local power company, a postaccident review of their load meters indicated that there was a power interruption along 448th Avenue at 2136. The airplane wreckage was subsequently located in a vacant field, immediately east of 448th Avenue, by local residents who reported the accident at 2158. There were two power lines found entangled with the wreckage. A global positioning system (GPS) handheld device was found at the accident site. The downloaded GPS data indicated that the accident flight was 10 minutes 49 seconds in duration. After departure, the airplane maneuvered at various headings and altitudes. A majority of the accident flight was completed at less than 200 feet above the ground. The final 60 seconds of recorded data showed the airplane in a descending right turn to an easterly heading, at a descent rate of 90 to 100 feet per minute and an average ground speed of 110 knots (127 mph). The final data poin
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to attempt low-altitude flight and his failure to maintain adequate clearance from power lines.
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Browse: South Dakota · American Champion aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
