N9897Y

On July 10, 2007, about 1700 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Champion 7GCB airplane, N9897Y, sustained substantial damage when the right main landing gear failed during takeoff, and impacted the ground, about 35 miles southeast of King Salmon, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial certificated pilot and sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on July 11, the pilot said that his passenger reported hearing a thud or bang just prior to the airplane lifting off. He said the takeoff area was predominately gravel with some larger rocks. The pilot reported that as the airplane lifted off, it immediately veered to the right. He said regardless of his control inputs, the airplane continued to the right, and impacted the ground. The pilot thought the right landing gear might have separated during takeoff, and the airplane did not have enough flying speed to overcome the drag. He said the airplane sustained damage to the right wing, right landing gear, fuselage, and propeller.

In a written statement to the NTSB dated July 13, the pilot wrote that more careful landing area selection might have prevented the accident.