Champion 7EC accident near Anchorage, Alaska, February 4, 1987
On February 4, 1987 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Champion 7EC, registered N7539B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Lake Hood airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 1987 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Lake Hood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7EC · all 7ECs on the register
- Registration
- N7539B · no longer on the register · serial 596
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND ACCOMPLISHED UNAUTHORIZED REPAIRS TO HIS AIRPLANE AFTER AN INCIDENT FOUR DAYS EARLIER. HE REPAIRED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR BY USING A COMMON DOOR HINGE TO ATTACH IT TO THE FUSELAGE. UPON LANDING, THE DOOR HINGE FAILED AND CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WAS LOST.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,840 hours in all; 203 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 1,430 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,345 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1986; 126 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kustatan AK
- Destination: LHD Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:33 pm from ANC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N7539B 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.