Champion 7GCAA accident near Alliance, Nebraska, January 31, 1999
On January 31, 1999 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Champion 7GCAA, registered N9668S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alliance, Nebraska. It was a business 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 unsuitable terrain for landing selected by the pilot-in-command. Factors were the tailwind landing condition and excessive braking by the pilot-in-command.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 1999 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Alliance, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCAA · all 7GCAAs on the register
- Registration
- N9668S · registry record · serial 85
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew over a friend's house and decided to land in a field adjacent to the house. The pilot stated that upon landing, on the plowed farm field, he, '... proceeded to get on the brakes and there was just no grabbing between the tires and the dirt field.' The pilot stated that he applied more brakes, and, '... all of the sudden, the tail came up and the airplane nosed over and flipped onto its back.' In a telephone interview with the pilot, the pilot stated that the landing was made to the north. Post accident investigation showed that there was substantial damage to three wing ribs, two wing struts, and the vertical stabilizer. A functional test of the brake system was conducted and no abnormalities were found. No other abnormalities were found with the accident airplane. Weather reports for the area reported winds from 150 degrees at 8 knots.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 536 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,391 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 1998; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AIA NE at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from AIA, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 CHI99LA080.