American Champion Aircraft 8GCBC accident near Greeley, Colorado, October 29, 2021
On October 29, 2021 at about 8:15 pm local time, a 2008 American Champion Aircraft 8GCBC, registered N125WB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Greeley, Colorado (Greeley-Weld County airport). It was a personal 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 pilot’s loss of directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 2021 · about 8:15 pm local time · cases in 2021
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Greeley-Weld County · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion Aircraft 8GCBC, built 2008 · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N125WB · registry record · serial 505-2008
- 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 during landing with a slight crosswind, he was unable to maintain directional control and the airplane ground looped to the right, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. He reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation and that the accident may have been prevented with better control of the rudder and differential braking.
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 defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,626 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 24, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,525 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 2021; 55 hours since
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1G (piston); 1,525 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Broomfield CO at 4:00 pm
- Destination: GXY Greeley CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17/3, 10,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from KGXY
Weather report (METAR): KGXY 291956Z AUTO 09004KT 10SM CLR 21/M01 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP177 T02061006
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 18, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo of Airplane's Left Wing Damage | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N125WB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N125WB on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- American Champion Aircraft 8 Decathlon and Scout 674 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- American Champion Aircraft 1,103 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1G 141 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Greeley-Weld County · nearest airport
- Rocky Mountain Metro Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Colorado 2,860 since 1982 · 383 in the last ten years
- Colorado 7,486 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N125WB 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN22LA028.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.