American Champion (Acac) 7GCBC accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, November 13, 2006
On November 13, 2006 at about 4:39 pm local time, a American Champion (Acac) 7GCBC, registered N87VF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico (Santa Fe Municipal airport). 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 directional control during the landing roll, and his failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall and hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 2006 · about 4:39 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · Santa Fe Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion (Acac) 7GCBC
- Registration
- N87VF · registry record · serial 1422-2006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made a normal wheel landing and allowed the tail to settle. When the tail wheel touched the runway, the airplane veered sharply to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder but the airplane did not respond. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and the pilot applied full power in an attempt to abort the landing. The airplane lifted off, stalled, and landed hard.
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: 2,500 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 40 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Superior O-360-A3A2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAF Santa Fe NM at 2:00 pm
- Destination: SAF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 8,342 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from SAF
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.