On March 4, 1990, a Champion 7EC (registration N4301C) operated by Lange, Casey R was involved in an aviation accident near Pine Ridge, SD. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control during a sharp bank while maneuvering for wildlife, which resulted in a stall and impact with the ground. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A private pilot and a friend were on a coyote hunting flight when the aircraft stalled and crashed following a sharp bank. The surviving passenger reported spotting a coyote just before the accident occurred.
What happened
On the afternoon of the accident, a private pilot and owner took off with a friend for a coyote hunting flight. While airborne, the aircraft was observed to abruptly make a turn, stall, and subsequently impact the ground.
The surviving passenger provided an account of the events leading up to the crash. They stated that they had just spotted a coyote when the pilot banked the aircraft sharply. This maneuver appears to have led directly to the loss of control and the subsequent collision with the terrain.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control during a sharp bank while maneuvering for wildlife, which resulted in a stall and impact with the ground.