American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB accident near Sebewaing, Michigan, October 18, 2010
On October 18, 2010 at about 9:49 pm local time, a American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB, registered N105AC, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near Sebewaing, Michigan (Sebewaing Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and aircraft control following a loss of engine power after takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 2010 · about 9:49 pm local time
- Place
- Sebewaing, Michigan · Sebewaing Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N105AC · registry record · serial 647-91
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A certified flight instructor was conducting a flight review with a private pilot who was the airplane owner. One witness, who was a pilot, observed the takeoff roll and reported that the engine sounded normal. Another witness, who lived near the accident site, observed the airplane takeoff and climb above power lines that were south of the departure end of the runway. The witness reported that the airplane's engine "sputtered" and the airplane banked to the left. The airplane then turned back toward the airport and the engine lost power completely. The airplane subsequently nose dived into a cornfield and a postcrash fire ensued. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed one propeller blade with a chordwise abrasion and leading edge nicks. No anomalies were found with the engine or the other airplane systems. Examination of the accident site revealed no damage to the powerlines that surrounded the area. Additionally, there was a suitable forced landing area straight ahead on the departure flight path, south of the power lines that bounded the cornfield.
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 takeoff
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Loss of control in flight during emergency descent defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 979 hours in all
- Last flight review: October 24, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,765 hours in all
- Last flight review: April 9, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 975 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-H1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: D95 Lapeer MI at 9:00 pm
- Destination: D95 Lapeer MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,178 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from CFS, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 N105AC 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.