No fatalities

23 Jun 2012: CHAMPION 7GCB — HICKS STEPHEN J — Tyonek, AK

Tyonek, AK, United States

On 23 Jun 2012, a CHAMPION 7GCB operated by HICKS STEPHEN J was involved in an aviation accident near Tyonek, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall while maneuvering. 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 tailwheel airplane pilot spotted two bears in a swamp while flying at 400 feet AGL, turned to look, and entered an aerodynamic stall. The aircraft descended vertically and struck terrain, causing substantial damage to wings and fuselage. No mechanical anomalies were reported.

Incident Overview

The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during a flight at 400 feet above ground level, he observed two bears in a swamp. As he initiated a left turn to view the animals, the nose of the aircraft dropped abruptly, and the airplane began a vertical descent.

Stall and Impact

The pilot attempted to recover from the ensuing aerodynamic stall, but the airplane impacted terrain before full recovery could be achieved. The impact resulted in substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. No further details regarding injuries or other circumstances were provided.

Investigation

The mishap was attributed to the stall induced by the pilot's maneuver. No probable cause was officially determined in the available source.

Contributing factors

PilotAirspeed — Not attained/maintained