Champion 7GC N8529E

Summary

On 19 April 2004 at about 23:30 local time, a Champion 7GC registered N8529E was involved in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska, 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

19 April 2004 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Wasilla (PAWS)

Coordinates

61.5717, -149.5403

Aircraft

Champion 7GC

Registration

N8529E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wasilla → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC04LA041

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student pilot which resulted in a loss of directional control during the takeoff roll, and subsequent collision with a ditch. A factor contributing to the accident was the student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The owner/student pilot was receiving a 90-day flight currency check from a flight instructor. The student pilot reported that an annual inspection of the airplane had just been completed. He said he performed an engine run-up, taxied to the active runway, and maneuvered the airplane into takeoff position. Shortly after he initiated the takeoff roll, the airplane began to pull to the left. He indicated he applied right rudder, but could not prevent the airplane from continuing to the left. At an airspeed of about 35 to 40 mph, he applied right aileron, and lifted the left main wheel off the ground. The airplane began to track to the right, but when he lowered the left wheel to the ground, the airplane veered sharply to the left and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane collided with a ditch and received damage to the propeller, the left main landing gear strut, and structural damage to the left wing. Following the accident, the student pilot/owner said that a mechanic briefly examined the left wheel and left brake. The mechanic did not discover a mechanical malfunction at that time. A METAR at the time of the accident was reporting calm wind conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.