No fatalities

CHAMPION 7KCAB accident at Rutherfordton, NC, 3 Jun 2023

Rutherfordton, NC, United States

On June 3, 2023, a CHAMPION 7KCAB operated by Prize Steer II, LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Rutherfordton, NC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The disengagement of the tailwheel locking mechanism during the landing roll which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing with a crosswind. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

The disengagement of the tailwheel locking mechanism during the landing roll which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing with a crosswind.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

Steering unit — FailureDirectional control — Not attained/maintainedPilotContributed to outcome