Champion 7GCAA accident near Buckeye, Arizona, May 14, 1999
On May 14, 1999 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Champion 7GCAA, registered N9661S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buckeye, Arizona (Buckeye 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
Failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 1999 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Buckeye, Arizona · Buckeye · 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
- N9661S · no longer on the register · serial 78
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he performed an engine run-up before departing for the flight and noted no problems with the brake system. He applied the brakes on the landing rollout, but the left brake did not activate and the airplane veered to the right, ran off the runway side, and collided with a dirt embankment. The brake system was inspected and found to be intact and with no fluid leaks. A functional check was also performed on the left brake with no anomalies noted.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,307 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 3,285 as pilot in command; 36 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,405 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1998; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AZ05 Peoria AZ at 4:10 pm
- Destination: BXK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from PHX, 33 miles away
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.