American Champion (Acac) 7GCAA accident near Sebring, Florida, February 11, 2004
On February 11, 2004 at about 7:00 pm local time, a American Champion (Acac) 7GCAA, registered N246SG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sebring, Florida (Sebring Regional 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
The pilot's failure to maintain control during the landing rollout which resulted in the airplane ground looping and incurring damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 2004 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sebring, Florida · Sebring Regional 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) 7GCAA
- Registration
- N246SG · registry record · serial 473-2003
- 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 his approach to land on runway 18 was uneventful. The pilot further stated that as the airplane touched down on the mains and tail wheels simultaneously, the airplane suddenly veered to the left. He said he applied right rudder in an attempt maintain control of the airplane, but it skidded and swung to the left. According to the pilot, there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
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: 530 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AVO Avon Park FL
- Destination: SEF Sebring FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
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.