Champion 7AC accident near Homer, Alaska, September 23, 1992
On September 23, 1992 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Champion 7AC, registered N85502, was substantially damaged in an accident near Homer, 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 PILOT IN COMMANDS INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION IN SELECTING UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DITCH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 1992 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Homer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N85502 · registry record · serial 7AC 4242
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT LANDED ON BEACH AND IMPACTED DITCH AND NOSED OVER, TEARING OFF LANDING GEAR, SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING VERTICAL STABILIZER, FUSELAGE AND WINGS.
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: 790 hours in all; 637 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 724 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,707 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1992; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HOM Homer AK at 1:00 pm
- Destination: Kachemak Bay AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.