Champion 7ECA N8306V

Summary

On 27 November 1998 at about 19:00 local time, a Champion 7ECA registered N8306V, operated by Chapman, Bill, S., was involved in an accident near Jardine, Montana, 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

27 November 1998 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Jardine, Montana, United States

Coordinates

45.0300, -110.7007

Aircraft

Champion 7ECA

Registration

N8306V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Chapman, Bill, S.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gardiner → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA99LA017

Nobody was injured.

The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain adequate clearance with trees and terrain. Contributing factors were unfavorable winds, mountainous terrain and trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot-in-command, accompanied by a passenger, departed on an elk-spotting flight in the Piper PA-18. Approximately 9,500 feet above sea level, while in mountainous terrain, the aircraft encountered leeward wind conditions and the pilot attempted a course reversal. During the reversal, the pilot determined that too much altitude had been lost and he continued the turn, returning to the original downslope track toward lower terrain. During the descending turn, the pilot perceived a stall condition, lowered the nose further, and applied rudder to effect a recovery. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft entered into more stable wind conditions and the pilot attempted to avoid tree impacts by raising the nose. The aircraft impacted trees during the pullout, after which the pilot returned to his point of origination and landed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.