Champion 7ECA accident near Sutton, AK
On August 29, 2013, a Champion 7ECA (airplane) was involved in an accident near Sutton, AK. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 29, 2013
- Place
- Sutton, AK
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 61.791°N, 149.014°W
- NTSB ID
- 20130830X10122
Official records · ANC13FA090
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 29, 2013, about 1300 Alaska daylight time, a Champion 7ECA (Citabria) airplane, N9624S, sustained substantial damage following a collision with terrain about 7 miles north of Sutton, Alaska. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to, and operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules personal local flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Wolf Lake Airport, Palmer, Alaska, around 1200. According to a family member of the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to scout for locations to hunt moose, and the pilot said that they would return later that afternoon. When the airplane did not return to Wolf Lake, a family member of the passenger reported the airplane overdue to the 11th Air Force's Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) about 1930. The RCC initiated a search for the missing airplane along its supposed route of flight. In the early morning hours of August 30, an Air National Guard C-130 Hercules was able to locate the wreckage. Rescue personnel aboard a HH-60G helicopter were able to reach the site later that morning, and confirmed the pilot and passenger were deceased. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 30, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. He was issued a third class airman medical certificate on October 15, 2012. No personal flight records were located for the pilot, and the aeronautical experience listed on page 3 of t
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s use of marijuana, which likely degraded his psychomotor ability.
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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.
