American Champion Aircraft 8GCBC accident near Payson, Arizona, December 26, 2022
On December 26, 2022 at about 11:50 am local time, a 2017 American Champion Aircraft 8GCBC, registered N749PJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Payson, Arizona (Payson airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 2022 · about 11:50 am local time
- Place
- Payson, Arizona · Payson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion Aircraft 8GCBC, built 2017 · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N749PJ · registry record · serial 581-2017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, while on final approach to land, the airplane encountered a wind gust and “rotated the aircraft” off runway centerline. He attempted to realign the airplane with the runway prior to landing, to no avail. During the landing roll, the airplane veered left. The pilot attempted corrective action; however, the airplane subsequently exited the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,465 hours in all; 232 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 4,332 as pilot in command; 1,475 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 30, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 233 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 2022; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1G (piston); 242 hours total
The flight
- Runway 24, 5,504 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from KPAN
Weather report (METAR): METAR KPAN 261855Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM CLR 17/M04 A3026 RMK AO2 PWINO TSNO=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 31, 2023. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | 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.