Champion 8GCBC accident near Three Rivers, Michigan, August 19, 2020
On August 19, 2020 at about 2:00 am local time, a 2006 Champion 8GCBC, registered N133PJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Three Rivers, Michigan (Three Rivers Muni Dr Haines airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a taxiway sign after landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2020 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Three Rivers, Michigan · Three Rivers Muni Dr Haines · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 8GCBC No Series, built 2006 · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N133PJ · registry record · serial 486-2006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was in a hurry after landing and exited the runway early (before the taxiway). He stated that he was not paying attention and the airplane collided with a taxiway sign. The airplane nosed over, substantially damaging the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane 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
- Nose over/nose down during taxi
- Miscellaneous/other during taxi
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 867 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 829 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 3,045 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mendon MI
- Destination: HAI Three Rivers MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:15 pm from HAI
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN20CA358.