Champion 7GCBC accident near Sutton, Alaska, August 31, 2025
On August 31, 2025 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1969 Champion 7GCBC, registered N5267X, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Sutton, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane’s encounter with a downdraft while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in a forced landing and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2025 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sutton, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCBC, built 1969 · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N5267X · registry record · serial 192
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while on approach to a remote airstrip in an area of mountainous terrain, he encountered a strong downdraft that forced the airplane into an area of rough and uneven terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and lift struts. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Loss of control in flight during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 587 hours in all; 517 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 487 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 20, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,444 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 22, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320 (piston); 266 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAQ Palmer AK at 9:30 pm
- Destination: PAQ Palmer AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from PAAQ, 23 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAAQ 312153Z 22005KT 10SM OVC100 13/07 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP239 T01330072
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N5267X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC25LA100.