Pilot Debrief

Champion 7GCBC near Wiley, CO — 2018-08-05

Final reportCEN18LA316
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Date
2018-08-05
Location
Wiley, CO, USA
Aircraft
Champion 7GCBC
Registration
N90990
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain proper clearance from the sprinkler guy-wire, which resulted in the airplane’s collision with the wire during a visual approach to landing.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot was conducting a day visual approach to landing on his airstrip; he stated that everything seemed normal on the descent. However, he noted that the agricultural irrigation pivot sprinkler had stopped with the sprinkler's last pipe, or "overhang pipe," over the runway. The pilot thought that he was high enough to clear the sprinkler overhang pipe and had "no idea" that the airplane was not going to clear the guy-wires that supported the sprinkler overhang pipe, and the right landing gear tire struck a guy-wire that was about 10 ft higher than the sprinkler overhang pipe. The airplane's nose subsequently impacted terrain, and the airplane came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures during the flight.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen to go around instead of attempting to land.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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