American Champion Aircraft 7GCAA accident near Bainbridge, Georgia, January 16, 2017
On January 16, 2017 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1965 American Champion Aircraft 7GCAA, registered N2540F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Bainbridge, Georgia (Decatur County Industrial Air airport). It was an instructional 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during final approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, and his subsequent loss of directional control after touchdown.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 2017 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bainbridge, Georgia · Decatur County Industrial Air · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion Aircraft 7GCAA NO SERIES, built 1965 · all 7GCAAs on the register
- Registration
- N2540F · registry record · serial 96
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot in a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he had completed five touch-and-go landings and maneuvers in the local area before returning for a full-stop landing. While on final approach about 50 ft above ground, he reduced throttle to idle and allowed the airspeed to slow, and the left wing dropped abruptly. The left main landing gear touched down on the runway, the airplane veered to the left into grass, and it then nosed over. The left wing lift strut and the rudder sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot failed to submit the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 Pilot/ Operator Aircraft Accident/ Incident Report.
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
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BGE Bainbridge GA at 12:30 pm
- Destination: BGE Bainbridge GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 5,502 ft by 149 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KBGE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA17CA115.