American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC accident near Arcola, Texas, June 16, 2010
On June 16, 2010 at about 6:00 pm local time, a American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC, registered N72EB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Arcola, Texas (Houston Southwest airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2010 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Arcola, Texas · Houston Southwest · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N72EB · registry record · serial 1211-95
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following two successful stop-and-go landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, the student pilot departed for his third solo flight around the airport’s traffic pattern. While on final approach the student’s flight instructor observed from the ground that the airplane appeared to be high and slow and requested via the aircraft radio that the student execute a go-around. The student pilot complied and while he was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern the flight instructor instructed him to make a full-stop landing. During the landing roll, the student pilot retracted the wing flaps and added engine power as if to takeoff. The flight instructor reminded the student that this was to be a full-stop landing. The student pilot then reduced engine power; however, he also released back pressure on the control stick. As the rudder lost its effectiveness, the student pilot lost directional control and the airplane exited the side of the runway. The airplane impacted a ditch and nosed over, resulting in structural damage to both wings. An examination of the airplane following the accident revealed no preimpact anomalies with the airplane’s flight control system.
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 control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 47 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,624 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 27, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Stearman Ventures LTD
The flight
- Departed from: AXH Arcola TX at 6:00 pm
- Destination: AXH Arcola TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 5,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N72EB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.