Champion 7GCAA N8326V

Summary

On 3 July 1990 at about 00:40 local time, a Champion 7GCAA registered N8326V, operated by Thomas F. Hawks, was involved in an accident near Ashland, Ohio, 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

3 July 1990 at 00:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Ashland, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Ashland County (3G4)

Coordinates

40.8594, -82.3092

Aircraft

Champion 7GCAA

Registration

N8326V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Thomas F. Hawks

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

CHI90DEI01

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY PREFLIGHT THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. RESULTING IN A FUEL LEAK GOING UNDETECTED.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF THE FUEL QUANTITY WAS VISUALLY CHECKED AND FOUND TO BE 30 GALLONS. FIFTEEN STOP AND GO LANDINGS WERE PERFORMED AFTER WHICH A BREAK WAS TAKEN. UPON RESUMING THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE INDICATED 2 NEEDLE WIDTHS BELOW FULL. DURING THE SECOND STOP AND GO LANDING AFTER THE BREAK, THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING THE TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A WHEAT FIELD 705 FT SHORT OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED NO FUEL IN EITHER WING FUEL TANK. EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE WAS NOTED AROUND THE FUEL STRAINER. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, 2 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE ADDED TO THE FUEL TANKS AND THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED 2 NEEDLE WIDTHS BELOW FULL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.