Champion 7KCAB accident near East Haddam, Connecticut, September 14, 1992
On September 14, 1992 at about 8:43 pm local time, a Champion 7KCAB, registered N561EK, was destroyed in an accident near East Haddam, Connecticut (Goodspeed airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER WITHOUT ADEQUATE ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 1992 · about 8:43 pm local time
- Place
- East Haddam, Connecticut · Goodspeed
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N561EK · no longer on the register · serial 174
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING A LOW ALTITUDE PASS, ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, OVER THE RUNWAY. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING VIDEOTAPED BY A FRIEND OF THE PILOT. REVIEW OF THE VIDEOTAPE SHOWED THAT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A 360 DEGREE ROLL ON THE ACCIDENT PASS. THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE REMAINED HIGH THROUGH THE FIRST 180 DEGREES OF THE ROLL, HOWEVER, ONCE INVERTED, THE NOSE DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE RUNWAY IN A 53 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AFTER COMPLETING 330 DEGREES OF THE ROLL.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,800 hours in all; 8,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,457 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 23, 1992; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 42B
- Destination: 42B
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:46 pm from HFD, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.