Champion 7GCBC accident near Kenai, Alaska, November 6, 2009
On November 6, 2009 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Champion 7GCBC, registered N5268X, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Kenai, Alaska. It was a personal 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 pilot's decision to fly at a low altitude in strong winds and turbulence, resulting in a loss of control and a collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 2009 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N5268X · no longer on the register · serial 193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot with one passenger was on a personal local flight when the accident occurred. The pilot said that he was looking for areas to trap during the coming season. He was cruising west, about 1,000 feet above ground level into a strong headwind, and his global positioning system showed a ground speed of 60 knots. He then made a 180-degree turn to the east and was indicating a ground speed of 128 knots. The pilot said that as he turned to the north he encountered a crosswind that rolled the airplane inverted. He then righted the airplane, but the crosswind rolled the airplane inverted a second time. As the pilot righted the airplane again, a downdraft pushed it into the treetops. He said that there were no preexisting mechanical problems with the airplane but that the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage during the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Terrain induced turbulence › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Soldotna AK at 3:30 pm
- Destination: Soldotna AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 28.85 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from PALV, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.