Champion 7EC accident near May Creek, AK
On September 13, 1996, a Champion 7EC (airplane) was involved in an accident near May Creek, AK. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 13, 1996
- Place
- May Creek, AK
- Aircraft
- Champion 7EC · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 55.920°N, 159.490°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X06647
NTSB summary
History of the Flight At an estimated time and date of September 12, 1996, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Champion 7EC, N9061B, collided with remote mountainous terrain about 21 miles east of May Creek, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot was destroyed. The certificated private pilot and the sole passenger received fatal injuries. The pilot departed Valdez, Alaska, on September 12, 1996, at 0800 for a flight to Chitina, Alaska, where the passenger embarked for a hunting trip with the pilot. The planned return from the trip was September 15, 1996, with a tentative hunting area along the Chitina River and Barnard Glacier in the Wrangell - St. Elias National Preserve. Family representatives reported the passenger drove to Chitina with extra fuel for the airplane. During the search for the airplane, the passenger's vehicle was located at the Chitina Airport. Several gallons of the extra fuel were used from the initial supply. The flight did not return and was reported overdue to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on September 16, 1996. An alert notice (ALNOT) was issued at 2325. Search airplanes did not locate any evidence of a hunting camp established by the accident airplane's occupants. The wreckage was located by search aircraft at 5,300 feet mean sea level on September 17, 1996, about 1230. Examination of the baggage contents revealed unused food supplies and clean clothing neatly packed in two backpack
Probable cause
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering and/or flying at low altitude, which resulted in a stall and collision with the terrain. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot allowed the weight and balance (aft center-of-gravity) limitation to be exceeded.
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Browse: Alaska · Champion aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
