On July 26, 1997, a Champion 7GCBC (registration N8333V) was involved in an aviation accident near San Jose, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout, attributed to excessive aft trim and overcorrection. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported trimming the aircraft fully back before landing, then overcorrecting during rollout on a calm day, causing the plane to veer off runway and nose over.
What happened
The aircraft touched down normally with no immediate issues during the initial rollout phase. According to the pilot's account, the airplane had been trimmed fully backward prior to landing. After applying the brakes, the aircraft began to drift toward the left side of the runway.
The pilot stated that he overcorrected his control inputs during this drift, which led to a complete loss of directional control. The airplane departed the paved surface and struck an airport sign before nosing over. It eventually came to rest in a dirt clearing located adjacent to the runway.
Findings
Loss of control due to pilot overcorrection during rollout
Excessive aft trim configuration contributing to handling difficulties
Collision with airport infrastructure resulting from deviation from runway centerline
Calm surface wind conditions at time of incident
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout, attributed to excessive aft trim and overcorrection.