Event NYC03LA126

Factual narrative

On June 10, 2003, at 0950 eastern daylight time, an American Champion 7EC, N607EC, was substantially damaged while landing at Bowman Field (LOU), Louisville, Kentucky. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, the accident flight was his second solo flight in the tailwheeled airplane. He had completed about 12 to 15 landings while conducting the solo flights. While landing on runway 24, a 4,326-foot-long, 80-foot-wide asphalt runway, the wind began to make the airplane unstabilized. After the main wheels touched down, the airplane veered to the left at a 45-degree angle, and proceeded off the runway surface onto the grass. The pilot regained control of the airplane; however, the right main landing gear struck a taxiway identification sign causing the airplane to turn 180 degrees. During the turn, the vertical stabilizer struck the ground. Upon coming to a complete stop, the pilot taxied the airplane back to the ramp area. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any abnormalities with the airplane's flight controls, nor did the pilot report any. The winds reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, were from 200 degrees at 7 knots. While landing, the wind began to make the airplane unstabilized. After the main wheels touched down, the airplane veered to the left at a 45-degree angle, and proceeded off the runway surface onto the grass. The pilot regained control of the airplane; however, the right main landing gear struck a taxiway identification sign causing the airplane to turn 180 degrees. During the turn, the vertical stabilizer struck the ground. The accident flight was the pilots second solo flight in the tailwheeled airplane. The winds reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, were from 200 degrees at 7 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12