American Champion 7GCAA accident near Monterey, California, April 4, 2009
On April 4, 2009 at about 6:15 pm local time, a American Champion 7GCAA, registered N224RA, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Monterey, California (Monterey 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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to attain/maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2009 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Monterey, California · Monterey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion 7GCAA
- Registration
- N224RA · registry record · serial 4832004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The wind was variable and shifting from onshore to offshore. After the run-up, the pilot taxied to the hold short line and noted that the wind continued to shift. Immediately after clearing the pilot for takeoff on runway 10R, the controller told the pilot that the winds had shifted and now were from 330 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot noted that she would be taking off with a left quartering tailwind. During the ground roll, she pushed the stick forward to bring the tail up, then she eased up on the forward pressure and the airplane became airborne momentarily. The pilot was attempting to get the airplane into ground effect for more airspeed, but the wind changed direction again and the airplane yawed to the left. She tried to correct, but stated that there was no lift and no altitude, and the airplane was in a nose-up attitude. The nose quickly dropped to the right, and the airplane came to a rest on its belly off to the right side of the runway. The tail wheel and left gear collapsed, the left wing tip was damaged, and the prop struck the ground. The pilot said that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Ability to respond/compensate
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 308 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 142 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 22, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Monterey Bay Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MRY Monterey CA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: MRY Monterey CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10R, 7,616 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from KMRY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR09CA178.