Champion 7ECA accident near Hamilton, GA
On November 6, 1997, a Champion 7ECA (airplane) was involved in an accident near Hamilton, GA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- November 6, 1997
- Place
- Hamilton, GA
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 32.750°N, 84.870°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X09128
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 6, 1997, about 1845 eastern standard time, a Champion 7ECA, N9556S, struck trees at an altitude of about 1240 feet mean sea level (MSL) while in cruise flight near Pine Mountain in Hamilton, Georgia. The airplane was operated by the private pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site, and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight. The flight departed Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina about 1400 on the same day. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was reported missing by concerned family members on November 7, 1997, at 0856, when the pilot failed to show up for his brothers college graduation, and was subsequently located by the Civil Air Patrol, on top of Pine Mountain at 1311 the same day. According to the pilot's personal flight log his intended destination was Pensacola, Florida, with intermediate stops for fuel at Thomson, Georgia, and Greenville, Alabama. Thomson, Georgia airport personal confirmed that the airplane landed about 1630, on November 6, 1997, purchased 26.5 gallons of 100LL fuel and departed about 1700. Witnesses at the Thomson airport stated that the weather when he took off was marginal VFR and deteriorating rapidly. They stated that they believed that he was an instrument rated pilot when he took off. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a private pilot's certificate with a single engine land rating. His pilot certificate was issued July 11, 1997 and
Probable cause
VFR flight by the pilot into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance from mountainous terrain. Related factors were: darkness, adverse weather conditions, and the pilot's self induced pressure to attend his brother's graduation the following day.
More accidents in GA
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Apr 5, 1991
- Cessna 208, Sep 29, 1985
- Beech 400, Dec 11, 1991
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Aug 21, 1995
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, Apr 20, 1982
Browse: Georgia · 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.
