Champion 7ECA accident near Wasilla, Alaska, July 2, 2025
On July 2, 2025, a 1969 Champion 7ECA, registered N5169X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Wasilla, Alaska (Goose Bay 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 pilot’s excessive use of brakes during landing roll, which resulted in a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2025
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · Goose Bay Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA, built 1969 · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N5169X · registry record · serial 676
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor pilot, seated in the back seat, reported that they had completed eleven landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. Five landings were touch-and-go, two were go-around and four were full stop-and-go. The instructor pilot reported that on the last landing the airplane touched down smoothly but he subsequently lost directional control, and inadvertently applied excessive braking, resulting in a nose over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder, left wing struts and vertical stabilizer. The instructor pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear brakes system › Incorrect use/operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 415 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 325 as pilot in command; 15 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 24, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 674 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 147 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 616 as pilot in command; 350 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 8, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,807 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jin Jin Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Z40 Goose Bay AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from PAWS, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAWS 020056Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM FEW045 22/12 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP105 T02170117
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of accident airplane at accident site
Photograph 2 – View of accident airplane at accident site
Photograph 3 – View of accident airplane at accident siteThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 21, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N5169X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.