Champion 7ECA accident near Chugiak, AK
On August 13, 2016, a Champion 7ECA (airplane) was involved in an accident near Chugiak, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 13, 2016
- Place
- Chugiak, AK
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 61.421°N, 149.495°W
- NTSB ID
- 20160813X90947
Official records · ANC16FA057
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On August 13, 2016, about 1330 Alaska daylight time, a Champion 7ECA (Citabria) airplane, N9541S, impacted terrain following a loss of engine power just after takeoff from Birchwood Airport, Chugiak, Alaska. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to the pilot and a co-owner and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 visual flight rules personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions existed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed for the intended local flight. According to multiple witnesses at Birchwood Airport, they observed the airplane perform several touch-and-go landings throughout the late morning and early afternoon on the day of the accident. They said that, just after 1300, the pilot made a full-stop landing and then taxied to a local fuel vendor's facility. During a postaccident interview, one of the witnesses stated that the accident airplane had been for sale and that the accident pilot had met him and a friend at Birchwood Airport about 1315 to show the potential buyer the airplane. The potential buyer reported that he "walked around the airplane" and noticed no mechanical problems and that the pilot told him that there were no mechanical problems with the airframe and engine. The pilot asked the potential buyer if he would like to go for a ride in the airplane, and the potential buyer declined and said he would only go for a ride if he offered to purchase the airplane. The pilot then started the airplane and departed from runw
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a steep low-altitude turn following a loss of engine power, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent loss of control at too low of an altitude to recover. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no mechan
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Browse: Alaska · 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.
