American Champion (Acac) 7GCAA accident near Frederick, Maryland, June 3, 2003
On June 3, 2003 at about 4:35 pm local time, a American Champion (Acac) 7GCAA, registered N77GA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Frederick, Maryland (Frederick Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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 certified flight instructor's improper flare and his delayed remedial action. The pilot's failure to maintain directional control is a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2003 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Frederick, Maryland · Frederick Municipal 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
- N77GA · registry record · serial 471-2003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was executing his first landing in the airplane in an effort to obtain a tailwheel signoff. While approaching the runway, the airplane encountered a crosswind from the left. The certified flight instructor (CFI) instructed the private pilot to correct for the crosswind by adding right rudder inputs, which he did throughout landing to touchdown. After the airplane touched down, the private pilot began to over-control the airplane with the rudder. The CFI assumed the controls and added full power. The airplane climbed back into the air and the CFI tried to realign it with the runway centerline. The airplane descended back to the ground and touched down hard on the left main landing gear, shearing the landing gear assembly from the fuselage. The airplane then departed the left side of the runway, where the left wing dug into the ground. The airplane came to rest upright. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any abnormalities with the airplane flight controls, nor did the pilots report any. The winds reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, were calm.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,611 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 3,040 as pilot in command; 681 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 21, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 146 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 87 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 18, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 105 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,213 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association
The flight
- Departed from: FDK Frederick MD at 4:00 pm
- Destination: FDK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,220 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 4:03 pm from FDK
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.