Champion 7GCBC accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, September 12, 1988
On September 12, 1988 at about 6:20 am local time, a Champion 7GCBC, registered N3059G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, 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 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
- September 12, 1988 · about 6:20 am local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, 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
- N3059G · registry record · serial 37
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS SON WERE RETURNING FROM A HUNTING TRIP WHEN THE AIRPLANE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON AN UNLIGHTED ROADWAY AND STRUCK A TELEPHONE WIRE OR SMALL POWERLINE DURING THE APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD ON THE ROAD, AND BOUNCED OFF THE ROADWAY AND INTO THE ADJOINING BRUSH. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD ELECTED TO DEVIATE AROUND AN AREA OF MARGINAL VFR WEATHER, AND USED A GREATER AMOUNT OF FUEL THAN ANTICIPATED. THE AIRPLANE LANDED ABOUT TWO MILES SHORT OF ITS INTENDED DESTINATION.
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: 1,600 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,570 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,086 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1988; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Brooks Range AK at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.