Champion 7ECA accident near Vine Grove, Kentucky, May 28, 2020
On May 28, 2020 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 1965 Champion 7ECA, registered N9557S, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Vine Grove, Kentucky (Vine Grove 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
Aircraft control was not maintained during initial climb with gusting wind that resulted in a collision with power lines and the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2020 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Vine Grove, Kentucky · Vine Grove · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA No Series, built 1965 · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N9557S · no longer on the register · serial 371
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after a normal takeoff and initial climb to the height of tree tops, the airplane encountered a couple of wind gusts with wind shear. The pilot recovered airplane control when the airplane encountered another gust that dropped the airplane down into power lines and subsequently the terrain. The fuselage and wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 30, 2018
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,724.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 2019; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 70KY Vine Grove KY at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 70KY Vine Grove KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 2,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:43 pm from KFTK, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 2, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.