Champion 7GCAA accident near Petaluma, California, October 28, 2004
On October 28, 2004 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Champion 7GCAA, registered N9081L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Petaluma, California (Petaluma 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to follow the published prestart, start, and shutdown procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 2004 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Petaluma, California · Petaluma · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- 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
- N9081L · registry record · serial 224-70
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was adjusting the propeller's position by hand when the engine started, and the pilotless airplane taxied across the ramp and into a parked airplane. After numerous unsuccessful start attempts using the airplane's electric starter, the pilot examined the engine and adjusted the propeller by hand. When he adjusted the propeller the engine started. He had left the brakes off, the magnetos on, and the throttle advanced. After the engine started, the pilot backed away, and the airplane moved forward. The pilot attempted to arrest the movement by grabbing on to the right wing strut, but this action was unsuccessful. The airplane continued forward eventually impacting the nose onto the right front side of a parked airplane. The pilot's operating manual states in the before starting checklist to set the brakes, and in the starting checklist to crack the throttle open 1/2 to 1 inch. The shutdown checklist states the mixture should be idle - cut off and the magnetos off.
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: 234 hours in all; 141 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O69 Petaluma CA
- Destination: Petaluma CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 am from KAPC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 LAX05CA024.