Champion 7KCAB accident near Crete, Nebraska, May 22, 1986
On May 22, 1986 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Champion 7KCAB, registered N5229X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crete, Nebraska (Municipal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 1986 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Crete, Nebraska · Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N5229X · registry record · serial 207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OF THIS TAIL-WHEEL ACFT ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON A RWY WITH A STRONG X-WIND. AFTER A GO-AROUND, HE STARTED AN APCH TO A TURF RWY THAT WAS BETTER ALIGNED WITH THE WIND BUT MADE A GO-AROUND WHEN HE THOUGHT THE GRASS WAS TOO HIGH. HE THEN ATTEMPTED ANOTHER LANDING WITH THE STRONG X-WIND. THE LEFT WING CAME UP DURING THE LANDING AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. AS THE ACFT PIVOTED TO THE RIGHT, THE LEFT GEAR FOLDED BACKWARD AND THE LEFT WING IMPACTED THE GROUND.
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: 517 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 517 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,849 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HLC Hill City KS at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 30 knots, gusting 45
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.