Champion 7GCB accident near Snow Lake, Alaska, May 30, 1992
On May 30, 1992 at about 3:00 am local time, a Champion 7GCB, registered N9897Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Snow Lake, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE STEP AND HE ALLOWED IT TO BECOME AIRBORNE. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY LOST DEPTH PERCEPTION, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER RATE OF DESCENT, RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING AND COLLAPSE OF THE FLOAT LANDING GEAR. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE GLASSY WATER CONDITION OF THE LANDING SURFACE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1992 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Snow Lake, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCB · all 7GCBs on the register
- Registration
- N9897Y · registry record · serial 117
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE STEP AND ALLOWED IT TO INADVERTANTLY TO BECOME AIRBORNE AND SUBSEQUENTLY LOST DEPTH PERCEPTION, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER RATE OF DESCENT, RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING AND COLLAPSE OF THE FLOAT LANDING GEAR. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE GLASSY WATER CONDITION OF THE LANDING SURFACE.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 145 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 82 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,475 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 1991; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,732 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Ward Cove AK at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°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.
Other NTSB records under N9897Y 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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ANC92LA082.