No fatalities

3 Sep 2011: AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT 8GCBC — Fort Worth, TX

Fort Worth, TX, United States

On 3 Sep 2011, an AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT 8GCBC was involved in an aviation accident near Fort Worth, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The certified flight instructor’s improper flare during a simulated emergency landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A CFI and private pilot experienced a hard landing during a simulated emergency landing, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing's rear spar.

Incident Overview

A certified flight instructor (CFI) was providing instruction to a private pilot in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. During the flight, the CFI demonstrated a simulated emergency landing. As the airplane slowed, it made a hard landing, during which the right main landing gear and the right wing struck the runway surface.

Post-Accident Examination

After the hard landing, the airplane was flown back to the private pilot's home airfield without further incident. A postaccident examination of the damaged wing was conducted by the airplane's manufacturer. The examination revealed that the rear spar had sustained substantial damage as a result of the hard landing.

Aircraft and Flight Details

The aircraft involved was a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The flight was conducted under the supervision of a CFI, who was demonstrating emergency procedures to a private pilot. No further details about the aircraft type, registration, or specific location were provided in the source.

Conclusion

The incident occurred during a training exercise, with the hard landing causing structural damage to the wing. The aircraft was safely returned to its base after the event.

Contributing factors

Instructor/check pilot