American Champion 8KCAB N161PC

Summary

On 22 December 2011 at about 16:55 local time, a American Champion 8KCAB registered N161PC was involved in an accident near Marysville, Ohio, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 December 2011 at 16:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Marysville, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Union County Airport (MRT)

Coordinates

40.2247, -83.3517

Aircraft

American Champion 8KCAB

Registration

N161PC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marysville → Marysville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12LA112

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude from the terrain while performing low-level aerobatics.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was performing low-level aerobatics for a ground-based observer for the purpose of renewing his low-level aerobatic competency waiver. As the airplane was pulling out from a dive while performing a maneuver described by the observer as a “modified clover-leaf/split-‘S’,” the airplane struck the ground in a wings-level attitude. The observer noted that nothing sounded out of the ordinary with respect to engine operation during the flight. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed no anomalies that could be attributed to a preexisting failure or malfunction. Based on the witness description and the postaccident examination, it is likely that the pilot misjudged the aerobatic maneuver and had insufficient altitude to recover from the ensuing dive.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.