American Champion 7GCAA N224RA

Summary

On 4 April 2009 at about 18:15 local time, a American Champion 7GCAA registered N224RA, operated by Monterey Bay Aviation, was involved in an accident near Monterey, California, 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

4 April 2009 at 18:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Monterey, California, United States

Nearest airport

Monterey (MRY)

Coordinates

36.5856, -121.8389

Aircraft

American Champion 7GCAA

Registration

N224RA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Monterey Bay Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Monterey → Monterey

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09CA178

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to attain/maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The wind was variable and shifting from onshore to offshore. After the run-up, the pilot taxied to the hold short line and noted that the wind continued to shift. Immediately after clearing the pilot for takeoff on runway 10R, the controller told the pilot that the winds had shifted and now were from 330 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot noted that she would be taking off with a left quartering tailwind. During the ground roll, she pushed the stick forward to bring the tail up, then she eased up on the forward pressure and the airplane became airborne momentarily. The pilot was attempting to get the airplane into ground effect for more airspeed, but the wind changed direction again and the airplane yawed to the left. She tried to correct, but stated that there was no lift and no altitude, and the airplane was in a nose-up attitude. The nose quickly dropped to the right, and the airplane came to a rest on its belly off to the right side of the runway. The tail wheel and left gear collapsed, the left wing tip was damaged, and the prop struck the ground. The pilot said that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.