Champion 7GCAA N9669S
14 August 1994 · Merritt Island, Florida, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 14 August 1994 at about 17:43 local time, a Champion 7GCAA registered N9669S, operated by Air Words, was involved in an accident near Merritt Island, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 17:43
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Merritt Island, Florida, United States
- Nearest airport
- Merritt Island (COI)
- Coordinates
- 28.3205, -80.6809
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCAA
- Registration
- N9669S
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Air Words
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- MIA94LA195
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO VISUALLY VERIFY THAT THE TOW ROPE WAS NOT WRAPPED AROUND ANY FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACE AND THE INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ENTANGLEMENT OF THE TOW EQUIPMENT WITH THE RUDDER HORN, RUDDER MOVEMENT WAS RESTRICTED DUE TO FULL DEFLECTION, AND INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO RELEASE THE BANNER.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT THREW THE TOPE ROPE OUT OF THE COCKPIT AND IT BECAME WRAPPED AROUND THE LEFT RUDDER HORN. THE PILOT PICKED UP THE BANNER AND BECAUSE OF THE POSITION OF THE TOPE ROPE, THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE RUDDER BECAME FULLY DEFLECTED TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT TURNED RIGHT CROSSWIND, DOWNWIND, AND BASE. WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS ABOUT 1/4 MILE NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE STALLED SPUN 1/2 TURN TO THE RIGHT AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER OF THE OPERATION, A MIRROR IS INSTALLED ON THE LEFT WING STRUT TO VIEW THE TOW ROPE AT THE 'D' RING TO VERIFY THAT THE TOW ROPE ISN'T WRAPPED AROUND THE RUDDER HORN. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE THE BANNER.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Champion 7 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Aug 1994 | Champion 7KCAB | Humphrey, Nebraska, United States | Mid-Plains Aviation | Fatal | 2 |
| 22 Jul 1994 | Champion 7-GCBC | Hartford, Alabama, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Oct 1994 | Champion 7ECA | Mariposa, California, United States | Nebeker, Gene | No injuries | - |
| 24 Aug 1994 | Champion 7FC | Tacoma, Washington, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 23 Nov 1994 | Champion 7ECA | Arcadia, Florida, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 29 Sep 1994 | Champion 7FC | Sacramento, Kentucky, United States | Willard D Gribbin | No injuries | - |
All 1,471 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Jan 1994 | Piper PA-32R-301 | Live Oak, Florida, United States | Barker, Sirios C. | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 Jan 1994 | Aerospatiale AS-350 | Lakeland, Florida, United States | Bulldog Airlines Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 Jan 1994 | Robinson R-22 | Miami, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jan 1994 | Cessna 152 | Osprey, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jan 1994 | Boeing A75N1 | Zellwood, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 17 Jan 1994 | Piper PA-28-180 | Boynton Beach, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |