American Champion (Acac) 7EC accident near Rochester, New Hampshire, July 17, 1996
On July 17, 1996 at about 2:52 pm local time, a American Champion (Acac) 7EC, registered N8910R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rochester, New Hampshire (Sky Haven 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 inadequate compensation for winds and his failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a ground loop and dragging of the wing on the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1996 · about 2:52 pm local time
- Place
- Rochester, New Hampshire · Sky Haven
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion (Acac) 7EC
- Registration
- N8910R · registry record · serial 716
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner and a passenger were landing on runway 33 at their destination airport. The pilot stated that after touchdown, as the airplane decelerated, he lowered the tail of the airplane to the runway. A gust of wind then caused the airplane to 'weathervane,' the airplane ground looped, and the right wing struck the ground. The pilot estimated the winds were from 300 degrees at 8 knots.
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: 1,475 hours in all; 810 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 1995; 108 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,475 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7BE Hampton NH at 2:30 pm
- Destination: 6B1
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 NYC96LA151.