American Champion (Acac) CITABRIA 7-GCBC accident near Ulysses, Kansas, December 16, 1994
On December 16, 1994 at about 5:30 pm local time, a American Champion (Acac) CITABRIA 7-GCBC, registered N31271, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ulysses, Kansas (Private airport). It was an instructional 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 pilots improper use of brakes during practice landings, and his lack of total experience in tail wheel equipped airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 1994 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ulysses, Kansas · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion (Acac) CITABRIA 7-GCBC CITABRIA 7
- Registration
- N31271 · registry record · serial 405-72
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT WERE CONDUCTING PRACTICE FULL STOP, THREE POINT, WHEEL LANDINGS ON A PRIVATE DIRT STRIP. THE INSTRUCTOR, WHO WAS IN THE AFT SEAT, REPORTED APPLYING BRAKES TOO HEAVILY, RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE NOSING OVER ONTO ITS BACK.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 360 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 320 as pilot in command; 40 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 365 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 17, 1994; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,500 ft by 20 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.