No fatalities

12 May 2018: CHAMPION 7ECA NO SERIES — MORRILTON, AR

MORRILTON, AR, United States

On 12 May 2018, a CHAMPION 7ECA NO SERIES was involved in an aviation accident near MORRILTON, AR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control in variable crosswind conditions. 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 landing with a southwest crosswind, the airplane bounced, veered left, exited the runway, and ground looped, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. No mechanical issues were reported.

Accident Summary

The accident occurred when a pilot performed a landing on runway 27 in variable wind conditions. According to the pilot, the wind was from the northwest at 10 to 15 knots, creating a southwest crosswind component. During touchdown, the airplane bounced and then veered to the left. It subsequently exited the runway and executed a ground loop to the left. The right main landing gear collapsed during the ground loop, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that the wind was variable from the northwest at 10 to 15 knots at the time of landing. Runway 27 was used for the landing.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation