Champion 7GC accident near Central, Alaska, August 24, 1987
On August 24, 1987 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Champion 7GC, registered N8507E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Central, Alaska (Central airport). It was a personal 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
- August 24, 1987 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Central, Alaska · Central · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GC · all 7GCs on the register
- Registration
- N8507E · registry record · serial 75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN GUSTY, CROSSWIND CONDITIONS AND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. HE SAID THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY CHOOSING A DIFFERENT AIRPORT WITH LESS CROSSWIND, OR BY INITIATING A GO-AROUND WHEN HE FIRST EXPERIENCED CONTROL DIFFICULTIES.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 175 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 134 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,593 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 7, 1986; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0290D2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLY Manley Hot Sprg AK at 2:45 pm
- Destination: CEM Central AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 175° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.