American Champion (Acac) 8KCAB accident near Stephen, Minnesota, July 28, 2003
On July 28, 2003 at about 7:30 pm local time, a American Champion (Acac) 8KCAB, registered N67ND, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stephen, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the transmission line and the pilot's continued operation with known deficiencies in equipment. Factors to the accident were the power lines and the low altitude the pilot was flying at.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2003 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Stephen, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion (Acac) 8KCAB
- Registration
- N67ND · registry record · serial 667-92
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage when it struck power lines while maneuvering at low altitude. The pilot-rated passenger reported that the pilot was performing low altitude maneuvers over a river when it struck power lines. The passenger stated that the pilot didn't feel that they had struck the line until she pointed it out to the pilot. They continued the flight and attempted to enter the pattern at two other airports but, because of air traffic in the area, they continued the flight to a third airport. Upon landing the passenger and pilot removed the wire from the airplane and inspected a hole in the aircraft wing. The pilot felt the airplane was still airworthy and decided to fly it back to the departure airport. The pilot and passenger returned to the departure airport without incident.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,287 hours in all; 346 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 88 in the last 30 days; 1,065 as pilot in command; 945 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 14, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 34 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 28, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,781.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 2003; 42.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,344 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-H1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GFK Grand Forks ND at 7:04 pm
- Destination: GFK Grand Forks ND
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 7:37 pm from HCO, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.