Champion 7KCAB N998B

Summary

On 19 September 2023 at about 15:30 local time, a Champion 7KCAB registered N998B was involved in an accident near Benson, Arizona, 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 September 2023 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Benson, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Benson Municipal (KE95)

Coordinates

31.9994, -110.3580

Aircraft

Champion 7KCAB

Registration

N998B

Category

Airplane

Year built

1967

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Benson → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR23LA348

Nobody was injured.

The pilots’ failure to maintain control of the aircraft during takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After conducting an engine run-up and full-deflection flight control check before the flight, the flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction departed the runway on a local instructional flight in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. Just after takeoff the airplane began to drift right and then suddenly rolled sharply to the right. The airplane’s attitude was held briefly before the flight instructor took over the controls. The flight instructor discovered that the aileron controls were unresponsive. He immediately added left rudder and the wings leveled off. The airplane then started a left roll followed by a right roll. The airplane lost altitude and impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the wings. The pilot reported that the inflight event felt like they were in wake turbulence of a mountain rotor or vortex, or a dust devil. Examination of the airplane’s flight controls did not reveal any anomalies. The reason for the loss of directional control after takeoff could not be determined. Official weather reporting stations in the area showed no significant wind conditions at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.