Champion 7GCBC accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, September 22, 1992
On September 22, 1992, a Champion 7GCBC, registered N1654G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Blair Lakes Landing Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION IN ACCESSING THE AVAILABLE RUNWAY LENGTH AND SNOW CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE SNOW BANK AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH SKIPLANE OPERATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1992
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Blair Lakes Landing Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N1654G · registry record · serial 123
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD ARRIVED AT THE REMOTE STRIP 11 DAYS EARLIER HAVING 40 HOURS TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN MAKE AND MODEL AND 6 HOURS IN PAST 90 DAYS. THE SNOW WITH A DEPTH OF 2 FEET HAD BEEN PLOWED 10 FEET WIDE ON HALF THE RUNWAY AT THE DEPARTURE END. DURING THE SKI TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE BECAME PREMATURELY AIRBORNE ON THE PLOWED BERM AND NOSED OVER WHEN ITS RIGHT SKI DUG INTO THE SNOW PILE SHOULDER.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,180 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,060 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,123 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 1992; 27 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: Blair Lake AK at 7:30 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,300 ft by 10 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°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.
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 ANC92LA183.