American Champion (Acac) 8GCBC accident near Paris, Texas, June 26, 2001
On June 26, 2001 at about 9:15 pm local time, a American Champion (Acac) 8GCBC, registered N249SF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paris, Texas (Cox Field Airport). It was a business 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 excessive pull up by the passenger along with the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision leading to a loss of control during the takeoff initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2001 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Paris, Texas · Cox Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion (Acac) 8GCBC
- Registration
- N249SF · registry record · serial 418-2000
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was demonstrating the airplane to a prospective buyer, who claimed to have 900 hours flight time, but had not taken the private pilot checkride. During the briefing, the flight instructor told the potential buyer/passenger that he could try making the takeoff and that she "would take over if necessary." During the initial takeoff climb, the passenger pulled up excessively to a nose high attitude of approximately 60 degrees and froze on the controls. When he relinquished the controls, the flight instructor was unable to recover the aircraft. The aircraft sank at a fast rate, impacted the ground and bounced. Subsequently, the aircraft cart-wheeled and came to a stop inverted on the grass about 200 feet off the runway.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,700 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 198 in the last 90 days; 2,300 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 11, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 344.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 21, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRX Paris TX at 9:15 pm
- Destination: PRX Paris TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from PRX
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.