No fatalities

2 Aug 2013: CHAMPION 7EC — Sonoma, CA

Sonoma, CA, United States

On 2 Aug 2013, a CHAMPION 7EC was involved in an aviation accident near Sonoma, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot did not act in a timely manner to prevent the airplane from departing the runway surface. 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

During a practice landing, the pilot lost directional control, drifted right, and failed to timely correct. The airplane departed the runway, struck foliage, and sustained substantial wing damage.

Summary

During a practice landing, the pilot lost directional control of the airplane on the landing roll. The aircraft drifted towards the right side of the runway. The pilot did not act in a timely manner to prevent the airplane from departing the runway surface. Subsequently, the airplane struck foliage and sustained substantial damage to the wing.

Pilot Report

The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The accident occurred during a routine training maneuver, with the pilot practicing landing procedures.

Aircraft Damage

The left or right wing (exact side not specified) sustained substantial damage due to contact with foliage after the runway excursion. The extent of damage indicated a significant impact with vegetation, though the source does not detail specific components affected.

Contributing Factors

The investigation identified that the pilot did not take timely corrective action to maintain directional control. This resulted in the airplane deviating from the runway centerline and ultimately departing the paved surface. No other factors, such as weather, mechanical issues, or runway conditions, were mentioned in the source.

Probable cause

The pilot did not act in a timely manner to prevent the airplane from departing the runway surface.

Contributing factors

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained