Champion 8KCAB accident near Frankfort, Illinois, June 21, 1995
On June 21, 1995, a Champion 8KCAB, registered N109AC, was destroyed in an accident near Frankfort, Illinois. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot-in-command's overconfidence in his personal ability in attempting to teach aerobatics, his lack of experience as a flight instructor, and allowing the airplane to get into a position where its never exceed speed and design stress limits were exceeded. The second pilot's improper maneuver was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1995
- Place
- Frankfort, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N109AC · registry record · serial 652-91
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT-OWNER WAS GIVING AEROBATIC INSTRUCTION TO ANOTHER PRIVATE PILOT. THE PILOT HAD THE SECOND PILOT PLACE THE AIRPLANE INTO INVERTED FLIGHT SO HE COULD SEE WHERE THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE SHOULD BE DURING AN AILERON ROLL. THE SECOND PILOT WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE WITH FULL POWER AND HIGH RPM. HE TOLD THE SECOND PILOT TO ROLL OUT OF THE INVERTED FLIGHT. THE SECOND PILOT PULLED AFT ON THE CONTROL STICK AND DID A SPLIT-S MANEUVER. THE AIRSPEED WAS ABOVE THE NEVER EXCEED SPEED DURING ITS DESCENT. HE KNEW THIS BECAUSE HE HAD FLOWN ABOVE THAT SPEED BEFORE SO THAT HE COULD KNOW WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE. AS HE BEGAN TO START RECOVERY THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED, AND WAS THE FIRST AIRFRAME COMPONENT ALONG THE WRECKAGE TRAIL. THE LEFT WING WAS THE SECOND ITEM ALONG THE WRECKAGE TRAIL, AND WAS MANGLED AND TWISTED. THE LEFT WING'S MAIN WING STRUT ATTACH FITTING HAD A FATIGUE STRIATION PATTERN THROUGH ABOUT 90% OF ITS AFT LEG. FATIGUE CRACKING WENT THROUGH ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF THE FITTING'S FORWARD LEG.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 623 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1995
- 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
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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 CHI95FA191.