American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC accident near Lago Vista, Texas, August 23, 2014
On August 23, 2014 at about 12:09 pm local time, a 2001 American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC, registered N254AC, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Lago Vista, Texas. 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 fly at a low altitude and his subsequent failure to see and avoid the power lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2014 · about 12:09 pm local time
- Place
- Lago Vista, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC, built 2001 · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N254AC · no longer on the register · serial 1319-2001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witnesses in the area reported seeing an airplane matching the description of the accident airplane flying near the accident site at a low altitude over water. A camera mounted to the airplane captured the accident flight. The video footage depicted the airplane flying low near terrain up until the collision with a power line. The video did not depict any abrupt maneuvers before the accident, thus, the pilot likely did not see the wires. The airplane impacted the ground and a postimpact fire ensued. An examination of the airframe, engine, and related systems revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 248 hours in all; 95 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 29, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 527.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 2013
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 40XS Cedar Park TX at 11:30 am
- Destination: 40XS Cedar Park TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 900 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 12:15 pm from KRYW, 55 miles away
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.
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.