Champion 7KCAB accident near Rialto, California, November 27, 2010
On November 27, 2010 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Champion 7KCAB, registered N5101X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Rialto, California (Rialto 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
Fatigue cracking of the left main landing gear leg, which resulted in a gear collapse during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 2010 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rialto, California · Rialto 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
- N5101X · registry record · serial 164
- 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 stated that he and the pilot receiving instruction were practicing landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. He said that during a wheel landing, with the pilot receiving instruction manipulating the flight controls, the airplane's left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded to the left and contacted a taxiway sign. The instructor reported that the wind was calm at the time of the accident. Postaccident metallurgical examination revealed that the left landing gear fractured at its inboard end due to fatigue cracking and corrosion damage.
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)
- Landing gear collapse during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,516 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 3,049 as pilot in command; 2,750 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 9, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 94 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 32 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 16, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,722 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 23, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Foothill Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: KCCB Cable Airport CA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: L67 Rialto CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
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.