Champion 7ECA accident near Dillingham, Alaska, July 3, 1993
On July 3, 1993 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Champion 7ECA, registered N9597S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dillingham, Alaska. It was a personal 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
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S ATTEMPT TO TAKEOFF WITH INSUFFICIENT AIRSPEED. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ON WHICH TO LAND AND TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1993 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dillingham, 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
- N9597S · no longer on the register · serial 324
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED ON A GRAVEL BAR TO AWAIT BETTER WEATHER. THE GRAVEL BAR WAS 375 FEET LONG. THE PLANE NORMALLY REQUIRED A TAKEOFF DISTANCE OF 400 FEET. THE PILOT BELIEVED THAT THE TAKEOFF COULD BE MADE BASED UPON THE 5 TO 10 MILE PER HOUR HEADWIND, HAVING NO PASSENGERS, AND 3/4THS FUEL. AT THE END OF THE GRAVEL BAR THE PLANE'S INDICATED AIRSPEED WAS ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR. NORMAL LIFTOFF AIRSPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES PER HOUR. THE PLANE ROSE SEVERAL FEET THEN SETTLED INTO THE RIVER AND FLIPPED OVER.
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: 270 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1993; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AKN King Salmon AK at 4:00 pm
- Destination: Yukon River AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°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 N9597S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.