The pilot reported the accident occurred during a wheel landing in the tailwheel-equipped Champion 7GCBC on a hard surface runway at the airport in Carbondale, Illinois.
The pilot noted that upon touchdown the plane began to swerve side-to-side due to the Champion’s “natural instability” on the ground.
He attempted to maintain directional control by pulling full aft on the control stick and applying maximum braking, however his excessive brake input while the airplane was in a level pitch attitude caused the plane to pitch down and the propeller to hit the runway before the airplane pivoted back onto the tailwheel.
The airplane came to rest upright on the runway. The tailwheel crushed the lower portion of the rudder when it landed hard on the runway.
He added that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A post-accident examination confirmed flight control continuity and found no issues with the wheel brakes or the tailwheel.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s excessive brake input while he attempted to maintain directional control during landing roll.
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This May 2020 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Champ’s Natural instability far exceeded pilots natual ability! Put the man in a hotair balloon!
I’m probably one of the least competent tail wheel pilots I know, but I never had the slightest problem landing any of the Champion variants I’ve flown. Their reputation is that they’re pussycats, and that was my experience.
Sounds like a lot of bull.
My off hand swag is tooooo much speed. By the way tail wheels fly just like nose gears they are just more challenging to land, especially if you can’t dance.
I read all the NTSB/FAA reports for this. And I have to ask why is the time in type/model redacted?
And this pilot has time in several categories including having a CFI.
The pax (apparently also a pilot), was surprised at this turn of events given prior flight and landing(s).
I’m not a tail wheel pilot, but I have a question: Could this have been caused by an out of alignment main wheel (gear)? But nothing says these were inspected.
Time in type/model isn’t redacted: 84 hours in this make and model.
“Flight Time: 462 hours (Total, all aircraft), 84 hours (Total, this make and model), 349 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 30 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 22 hours (Last 30 days, all
aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)”
YES Wylbur, wheel alignment could have definitely played a part in this accident. TOE-IN on a tailwheel aircraft’s main wheels can cause instability when operating on a hard surface runway.
Here is a very detailed explanation: http://www.biplaneforum.com/uploads/20111027_130115_200901_EAA_CHAP.pdf
Jerry King
What a moronically frase used in the pilot’s report: “the Champion’s ‘natural instability'”. It should be written “theis pilot’s natural inability do land a tailwhell plane”
Their and, of course, not “theis”. Sorry!
And to land. Not “do land”. Sorry, again!
“Natural Instability”? The Champion series airplanes (7ECA, 7KCAB, 7GCAA, 7GCBC) are some of the most forgiving tailwheel airplanes to fly-if you have tailwheel training. Obviously this ‘Super Pilot” let his ego bend a perfectly good aitplane.
C’mon man….”natural instability”??!! It is once again proven that tail wheel flying is not for everyone. Go Salukis!!
Sounds like the airplanes natural instability was exceeded by the pilots natural inability to fly it.
Pure sign of a pilot who didn’t want training and thought he know how to fly. Big head Syndrome. Their is nothing wrong with tailwheel planes. They do require more skill to fly and that’s what makes them fun to fly.
Swerve side to side?
Maybe…. “the hatch just blew”?
Come on…Leave Gus out of this! 🙂