No fatalities

25 May 2016: CHAMPION 7ECA NO SERIES — Brookings, OR

Brookings, OR, United States

On 25 May 2016, a CHAMPION 7ECA NO SERIES was involved in an aviation accident near Brookings, OR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. 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

An airplane made several low passes before landing at high speed, touching down halfway down the runway. It turned sharply, exited the runway, traversed an embankment, and came to rest with substantial damage to the firewall and right wing. No anomalies were reported.

Incident Overview

A witness reported observing an airplane that performed multiple low passes over the runway after lift-off before entering the traffic pattern to land. The approach appeared normal, but the airplane touched down approximately halfway down the runway at a high rate of speed. As it neared the end of the runway, the airplane executed a sharp turn and departed the prepared surface.

Witness Account

According to the witness, the airplane descended down an embankment adjacent to the runway and came to an abrupt stop at the bottom. The impact substantially damaged the firewall and the right wing. The witness did not specify any pre-impact irregularities in the airplane's flight path other than the high-speed touchdown and the subsequent turn.

Damage and Pilot Report

Post-event inspection revealed substantial damage to the firewall and the right wing structure. The pilot, who was interviewed following the incident, did not report any anomalies with the airframe or engine that might have contributed to the event. The airplane was not equipped with any recording devices, and no other anomalies were noted by the pilot or the witness.

Investigation Notes

The investigation focused on the sequence of events as described by the witness. No evidence of mechanical failure or system malfunctions was reported. The pilot's account indicated that the airplane had flown multiple circuits prior to landing, but no further details were provided. The runway conditions and environmental factors were not specified in the available information.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Incorrect use/operationContributed to outcome