Champion 7FC N8520E

Summary

On 12 August 1998 at about 13:57 local time, a Champion 7FC registered N8520E was involved in an accident near Alliance, Ohio, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 August 1998 at 13:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Alliance, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Barber Airport (2D1)

Coordinates

40.9096, -81.1097

Aircraft

Champion 7FC

Registration

N8520E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marlboro → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC98FA166

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance during the approach which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience and lack of experience in the make and model of the accident airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was practicing touch and go landings, with a private pilot rated passenger seated in the rear seat. On the fourth landing, the airplane was observed to extend its downwind leg and looked 'very low' on final approach. The airplane descended at the same rate it was observed to descend on the previous landing attempts, and no pitch changes were observed. The airplane impacted a stand of trees, nosed over, and impacted terrain. The airplane came to rest approximately 467 feet from the runway threshold. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions of the airframe or engine. The airplane was using automotive gasoline per a supplemental type certificate. The spark plugs were covered with black carbon deposits. The pilot had about 63 total flight hours, of which about 10 hours were in make and model. His last logged flight was about 7 months prior to the accident. The carburetor icing probability chart published by the FAA, placed the temperature/dew-point reported at an airport about 18 miles west of the accident site, in the 'serious icing at glide power,' section.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.