American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB accident near Alpine, Wyoming, January 29, 2026
On January 29, 2026 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 2005 American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB, registered N59SE, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Alpine, Wyoming (Alpine airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadvertent descent while operating in flat light conditions which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 2026 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Alpine, Wyoming · Alpine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion Aircraft 8KCAB, built 2005 · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N59SE · no longer on the register · serial 1004-2005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the conclusion of an uneventful flight, the pilot returned to the departure airport and entered the airport traffic pattern. The pilot stated that after he turned onto the base leg for the runway, he unknowingly lost depth perception and flew into the snow-covered terrain due to the “flat light” conditions. During the accident sequence, the airplane nosed over, and sustained substantial damage to the rudder, vertical stabilizer, and both wings. The pilot added that the terrain surrounding his base leg of the traffic pattern was a dry lakebed covered in snow, the sky was overcast, and there were no shadows. He further stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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 visual reference during approach (VFR pattern base)
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Flat light › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,130.8 hours in all; 217.7 in this make and model; 13.8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,130.8 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 31, 2023
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 599.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 19, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-H1B (piston); 599 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 46U Alpine WY at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 5,827 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.39 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from KAFO, 30 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAFO 292135Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT036 BKN070 01/M07 A3039 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of accident airplane
Photograph 2 – View of left wing damage
Photograph 3 – View of vertical stabilizer and rudder damage
Photograph 4 – View of right wing damage (Sheriff’s Office)The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 30, 2026. 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, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N59SE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR26LA095.