NTSB CAROL · Event
Event BFO91LA011
Registry · N445AC
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT 8GCBC
Year of manufacture
1998
TCDS
A21CE · AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT CORP
Engine
LYCOMING 0-360-A1D (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
3 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19980122
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A55D33
Registrant of record
THOLEN SUSAN M
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. CHECKRIDE-INDUCED PRESSURE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE CHECK PILOT WAS A FACTOR.
Factual narrative
THE PILOT, A COMPANY CHECK AIRMAN, AND AN FAA INSPECTOR WERE ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT FOR A CHECKRIDE WHICH WAS INTENDED TO REASSESS THE PILOT'S COMPETENCY. A MAINTENANCE TEST (AILERON RIGGING) WAS TO BE PERFORMED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CHECK RIDE. THE FIRST MANEUVER TO BE PERFORMED WAS A NO-FLAP LANDING. ALL THREE PILOTS STATED THAT THE PILOT HAD DIFFICULTY MANAGING THE AIRCRAFT WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN; AIRSPEEDS WERE TOO SLOW, AND THE PILOT WAS CONSTANTLY MANIPULATING POWER. THE PILOT NEVER CALLED FOR THE BEFORE LANDING CHECKLIST, AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY WITH THE LANDING GEAR UP. THE CHECK PILOT STATED THAT THE LANDING GEAR WARNING HORN CAME ON BRIEFLY, BUT THE PILOT ADDED POWER AND SILENCED THE HORN. THE FAA INSPECTOR WAS SEATED IN A PASSENGER SEAT FOR TAKEOFF AND LANDING, AND WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT EXTENDED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1990_BFO91LA011.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (maintenance). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2026 · Journal article (IJAAA)
From Reactive to Predictive: A hybrid Trust-Mediated Adoption Framework for Data-Driven Maintenance in Distributed-Authority Aviation Environments
Modern aviation maintenance operates within increasingly data-intensive technological environments, yet the operational integration of predictive maintenance into routine decision-making remains incon…
- Semantic Scholar 2025 · Article (Applied Sciences)
Decision-Making Framework for Aviation Safety in Predictive Maintenance Strategies
The implementation of predictive maintenance (PM) in aviation presents unique challenges due to strict safety requirements, complex operational environments, and regulatory constraints.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
Low-Resource Automatic Speech Recognition Domain Adaptation – A Case-Study in Aviation Maintenance
With timeliness and efficiency being critical in the aviation maintenance industry, the need has been growing for smart technological solutions that optimize and streamline the different underlying ta…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
A New Trajectory in UAV Safety: Leveraging Reinforcement Learning for Distance Maintenance Under Wind Variations
In the field of aviation, safety is a critical cornerstone, and the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems is deeply connected with this principle.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Just Culture in Aviation: A Metaphorical Study on Aircraft Maintenance Students
Just Culture, a sub-dimension of safety culture, has been a prominent and debated topic in aviation safety in recent years.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Performance PRISM: A Comprehensive Framework For Performance Measurement In Aircraft Maintenance
Aircraft maintenance is governed by rigorous safety requirements and high operational complexity, demanding robust performance measurement frameworks to ensure optimal maintenance practices.
Browse the full corpus — academia portal ↗