Champion 7ECA accident near Tanana, Alaska, December 29, 1989
On December 29, 1989 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Champion 7ECA, registered N7615S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tanana, Alaska. It was a business 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
FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AXLE BOLT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 1989 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tanana, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N7615S · no longer on the register · serial 1162-76
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS USING HIS AIRPLANE TO TEND HIS TRAP LINE. SHORTLY AFTER TOUCH DOWN ON A FROZEN, SNOW COVERED LAKE, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AXLE BOLT (HOLDING THE SKI TO THE GEAR LEG) FAILED. THE SKI THEN SEPARATED FROM THE GEAR LEG AND THE AIRPLANE WAS FURTHER DAMAGED BEFORE IT CAME TO REST. THE PILOT BELIEVED THE AXLE BOLT HAD FAILED DUE TO THE CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF CONSISTENTLY LANDING ON ROUGH TERRAIN. ACCORDING TO HIM, THERE WAS NO INHERENT FLAW OR DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE AXLE BOLT.
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
- Flight time: 445 hours in all; 410 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 12:52 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.