Champion 7GC accident near Wasilla, Alaska, April 19, 2004
On April 19, 2004 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Champion 7GC, registered N8529E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska (Wasilla airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student pilot which resulted in a loss of directional control during the takeoff roll, and subsequent collision with a ditch. A factor contributing to the accident was the student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2004 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · Wasilla · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GC · all 7GCs on the register
- Registration
- N8529E · no longer on the register · serial 7GC-88
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The owner/student pilot was receiving a 90-day flight currency check from a flight instructor. The student pilot reported that an annual inspection of the airplane had just been completed. He said he performed an engine run-up, taxied to the active runway, and maneuvered the airplane into takeoff position. Shortly after he initiated the takeoff roll, the airplane began to pull to the left. He indicated he applied right rudder, but could not prevent the airplane from continuing to the left. At an airspeed of about 35 to 40 mph, he applied right aileron, and lifted the left main wheel off the ground. The airplane began to track to the right, but when he lowered the left wheel to the ground, the airplane veered sharply to the left and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane collided with a ditch and received damage to the propeller, the left main landing gear strut, and structural damage to the left wing. Following the accident, the student pilot/owner said that a mechanic briefly examined the left wheel and left brake. The mechanic did not discover a mechanical malfunction at that time. A METAR at the time of the accident was reporting calm wind conditions.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 5,300 as pilot in command; 4,100 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 24, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 193 hours in all; 193 in this make and model; 173 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,996 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 2003; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAWS Wasilla AK at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 6:36 pm from PAWS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.