Champion 7KCAB accident near Steubenville, Ohio, March 11, 1989
On March 11, 1989 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Champion 7KCAB, registered N12208, was substantially damaged in an accident near Steubenville, Ohio (Jefferson County Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE RUDDER CONTROL CABLE FAILED WHICH RENDERED THE CONTROL SURFACE INOPERATIVE. THE LOSS OF RUDDER PRECLUDED THE PILOT FROM MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1989 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Steubenville, Ohio · Jefferson County Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N12208 · registry record · serial 300-72
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CONDUCTING AEROBATIC FLIGHT, THE PILOT LOST COMPLETE RUDDER CONTROL WHEN THE CONTROL CABLE FAILED. THE PILOT MANAGED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT AND LAND; HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE RUDDER CONTROL CABLE HAD FAILED. THE FRACTURE FACES ON MOST STRANDS RESEMBLED A FAILURE RESULTING FROM AN ELECTRICAL ARC. THERE WERE TWO INSPECTION PANELS IN THE VICINITY OF THE FAILED CABLE. THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE CABLE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,455 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 2,343 as pilot in command; 1,436 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2G2 Wintersville OH at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,310 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from HLG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL89LA101.