Pilot Debrief

Champion 7GCAA near Schlater, MS — 2019-05-07

Final reportCEN19FA138
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Date
2019-05-07
Location
Schlater, MS, USA
Airport
Pvt
Aircraft
Champion 7GCAA
Registration
N7665S
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain the proper airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and a stall.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was departing from a private airstrip with a light tailwind present. A witness at the airstrip saw the airplane lift off the ground, northbound, about 1,500 ft down the runway; the airplane flew another 500 ft before it pitched up. The airplane was about 100 ft above the ground and not climbing when it banked left and then turned right. The airplane nose pitched down and the airplane entered a dive and subsequently impacted terrain. The airplane came to rest on its nose and its engine was embedded in terrain. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded control of the airplane. Given the available information, it is likely that the pilot failed to maintain the proper airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and the airplane experiencing an aerodynamic stall at too low of an altitude to recover. Investigators were not able to determine why the airplane was on the ground for 1,500 ft before it rotated and took off.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff after initial climb issues became apparent.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 15 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents15

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