Champion 7GCAA accident near Newell, California, August 12, 2000
On August 12, 2000 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Champion 7GCAA, registered N9648S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newell, California. 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
A hidden depression in the ground that resulted in the collapse of the landing gear during the forced landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 2000 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Newell, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCAA · all 7GCAAs on the register
- Registration
- N9648S · no longer on the register · serial 61
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the cross-country flight, the engine lost power and the airplane force landed in an open field. On landing roll, the left main wheel struck a depression collapsing the left main landing gear. Prior to departure, during her preflight inspection, the pilot had determined that the fuel tanks were full. After about 2 hours of flight, the pilot and her pilot-rated passenger elected to divert to an intermediate destination because of up and down drafts. Shortly after contacting approach control to receive flight following to the divert airfield, the engine sputtered and quit. Several hours after the accident a sheriff's deputy arrived at the scene. He reported no evidence of fuel spillage. A recovery crew got to the airplane 5 days later. The recovery personnel discovered that the fuel tank caps were in place and fit snugly, the fuel gascolator had been broken off, the fuel valve was in the 'OFF' position, there was no evidence of fuel spillage, and 2 gallons of fuel remained in the airplane, all in the right wing tank. The spark plugs had a normal appearance, cylinder compressions were good, and the intake and exhaust systems were open. The carburetor bowl was empty. The engine appeared capable of operating. Unusable fuel for the airplane is 1 gallon. During the postcrash examination, the right fuel tank vent check valve was inoperable.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 546 hours in all; 262 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 546 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,371 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 45 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: RBL Red Bluff CA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: S39 Prineville OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 154°F (68°C), dew point 111°F (44°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KLM, 25 miles away
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.