Champion 7GC accident near Spanish Fork, Utah, September 3, 2012
On September 3, 2012 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Champion 7GC, registered N61819, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Spanish Fork, Utah (Spanish Fork Springvile Metro 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2012 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Spanish Fork, Utah · Spanish Fork Springvile Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GC · all 7GCs on the register
- Registration
- N61819 · no longer on the register · serial 7GC-78
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings for proficiency. On the last rollout, the pilot relaxed for a brief moment, and the airplane started to veer to the left; the pilot was unable to recover. The airplane ground looped and the landing gear collapsed. The propeller contacted the ground, the right wing tip struck the pavement, and the tailwheel attachment was bent. The pilot said the accident could have been prevented if he had been more proficient in tailwheel-equipped airplanes. He reported 3 hours within the last 90 days.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: gyroplane; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 311 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 4,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U77 Spanish Fork UT
- Destination: U77 Spanish Fork UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 6,700 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from KPVU
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.
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.