Champion 7GCAA accident near Shelbyville, Indiana, June 29, 2009
On June 29, 2009 at about 1:25 am local time, a Champion 7GCAA, registered N9085L, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Shelbyville, Indiana. It was an instructional 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 partial loss of engine power due to the failure of the mixture control cable. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate maintenance on the airplane and the pilot's decision to operate the airplane in a condition that was not airworthy.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2009 · about 1:25 am local time
- Place
- Shelbyville, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCAA · all 7GCAAs on the register
- Registration
- N9085L · registry record · serial 226-70
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and a student pilot were practicing a simulated engine out maneuver. At 150 feet above ground level, the pilot increased the engine power but the engine did not respond. The pilot then attempted a forced landing to a field. During the landing flare, "the engine tried to come back..." After touchdown, the airplane ground-looped and sustained substantial damage. Examination of the engine revealed the mixture cable had fractured and separated. The airframe records showed the airplane's last annual inspection had not been completed in the preceding 12 months. Prior to the flight, the pilot had not reviewed the airplane logbooks to determine if the airplane was airworthy.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Scheduled maint checks › Not serviced/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Mixture control › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,700 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3,790 as pilot in command; 70 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 15, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 58II Boggstown IN
- Destination: Shelbyville IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N9085L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN09LA396.