Champion 7ECA accident near Palmer, Alaska, August 22, 1995
On August 22, 1995 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Champion 7ECA, registered N57393, was destroyed in an accident near Palmer, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and collision with the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1995 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N57393 · no longer on the register · serial 983-73
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a witness, he and the two occupants of the airplane were hunting in the area. The pilot and passenger took off from an unimproved strip. The witness stated that after takeoff, the airplane made a right turn, and flew over the camp. After the fly over, the airplane started another right turn. The witness looked away and then heard the plane crash. He then turned and saw the airplane on the ground. It came to rest in a nose down attitude. A crush line on the airplane showed that it had impacted in about a 45 degree nose down attitude. Photographs taken by the witness showed the airplane just lifting off at the airstrip and climbing with a nose high attitude.
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: 430 hours in all; 415 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Grasshopper Val AK at 2:25 pm
- Destination: Z15 Birchwood AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.
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.