Champion 7GCBC N822TT

Summary

On 16 January 2019 at about 23:00 local time, a Champion 7GCBC registered N822TT was involved in an accident near Townsend, Montana, United States. One person was 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

16 January 2019 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Townsend, Montana, United States

Coordinates

46.3081, -111.5378

Aircraft

Champion 7GCBC

Registration

N822TT

Category

Airplane

Year built

1972

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Helena → Helena

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR19CA069

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during a precautionary landing on an uneven, soft surface.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that, during the local pleasure flight, the engine started to run roughly and that he thought that it was due to carburetor ice. The pilot applied carburetor heat, and after about 3 minutes, the engine still did not seem like it was running smoothly. The pilot initiated a climb; however, the airplane would not gain altitude, so he chose to make a precautionary landing on a sandbar in a river. After touchdown on the rough and bumpy surface, the pilot applied braking action. The wheels dug into the soft sand, and subsequently the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The wings and the left lift strut were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the engine or airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The nearest weather reporting facility, located about 27 nautical miles northwest of the accident site, reported that, about the time of the accident, the temperature was 30°F and the dew point was 16°F, which was near the range of atmospheric conditions being conducive to icing at glide and cruise power settings. .

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.