American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB accident near Fallon, Nevada, January 27, 2010
On January 27, 2010, a American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB, registered N101BY, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Fallon, Nevada (Fallon 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
Interference between the front seat lap belt and the rear seat rudder/brake pedal assembly that prevented normal operation of the rudder/brake system, which resulted in the pilots’ inability to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 2010
- Place
- Fallon, Nevada · Fallon 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 Aircraft 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N101BY · registry record · serial 949-2004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI), seated in the front seat, reported that the airplane started to drift to the right during the landing roll. The student pilot, seated in the rear seat, applied left rudder to counteract the drift, but the airplane continued to the right. The CFI took control of the airplane and applied full left rudder and full power; however, the airplane continued to the right until the left main landing gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over. The airplane was equipped with dual lap belt aerobatic harnesses. Postaccident examination revealed that, when full left rudder was applied, the front seat pilot's upper lap belt caught on the rear seat right rudder/brake pedal assembly and activated the right brake. As a result of this finding, the manufacturer issued an Airplane Flight Manual Supplement (AFMS) that provided guidance for pilots to examine the front seat lap belts for proper tension and clearance from the rear seat rudder pedals during their prestart and preflight checks. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB CE-10-39) that addressed proper installation of the dual lap belt system and informed pilots of the issuance of the AFMS pertaining to the lap belts.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Seat/cargo attach fitting › Design
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,138 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 8,111 as pilot in command; 2,917 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 21, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 791 hours in all; 7 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 14, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 440 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 23, 2009; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming AEIO-360-H1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLX Fallon NV at 11:45 pm
- Destination: FLX Fallon NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 5,703 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 11:30 pm from FLX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.