American Champion (Acac) 8KCAB N561ER
28 August 2004 · Prescott, Arizona, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 28 August 2004 at about 15:31 local time, a American Champion (Acac) 8KCAB registered N561ER was involved in an accident near Prescott, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:31
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Prescott, Arizona, United States
- Nearest airport
- Ernest A. Love Field (PRC)
- Coordinates
- 34.6264, -112.2444
- Aircraft
- American Champion (Acac) 8KCAB
- Registration
- N561ER
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Prescott → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX04FA304
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The failure of both pilots to maintain adequate clearance from each other while performing formation aerobatic maneuvers.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Two identically painted American Champion 8KCAB airplanes (N561ER and N562ER) collided in flight while performing a formation aerobatic hammerhead maneuver. The airport was hosting an airshow where the accident pilots were going to perform a formation aerobatic routine. Witnesses observed the two airplanes practicing the routine on several different occasions during the previous months, and had become familiar with it. They said that when the accident happened, a vertical climb was initiated with both airplanes side-by-side, and at the apex of the maneuver, one or both of the airplanes moved out of their normal positions, and they became stacked one on top of the other. After the airplanes initial contact, witnesses observed several additional contacts as the airplanes fell to the ground. Color transfers, damage patterns, and witness marks found that the propeller of N561ER made multiple contacts to the engine compartment and cockpit of N562ER, while contact between the left lift strut of N562ER and the empennage of N561ER damaged and separated the vertical and horizontal stabilizers of N561ER. An airframe and engine examination of both airplanes revealed no mechanical discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation and control.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Champion (Acac) 8KCAB | N561ER | - | Destroyed |
| American Champion (Acac) 8KCAB | N562ER | - | Destroyed |
Other American Champion (Acac) 8 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb 2004 | American Champion (Acac) 8GCBC | Sunburg, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Jul 2003 | American Champion (Acac) 8KCAB | Stephen, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jun 2005 | American Champion (Acac) 8GCBC | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 2005 | American Champion (Acac) 8KCAB | Oroville, California, United States | Alpine Aviation, Inc. | Fatal | 2 |
| 2 May 2002 | American Champion (Acac) 8KCAB | Davenport, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 2006 | American Champion (Acac) 8GCBC | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Dec 2004 | Cessna 150J | Amado, Arizona, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 May 2004 | Piper PA-28-161 | Tucson, Arizona, United States | IATA Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 8 Dec 2004 | Cessna T310R | Flagstaff, Arizona, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 14 May 2004 | Cessna 180 | Kingman, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 May 2004 | Cessna T182T | Paulden, Arizona, United States | Timothy J. Coury | No injuries | - |
| 16 May 2004 | Bachman LANCAIR IV-P | Supai, Arizona, United States | - | Fatal | 4 |