Champion 7GCAA accident near Alpine, Texas, September 7, 2014
On September 7, 2014 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1965 Champion 7GCAA, registered N2535F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Alpine, Texas. 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of airplane control during a precautionary landing resulting in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2014 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Alpine, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCAA NO SERIES, built 1965 · all 7GCAAs on the register
- Registration
- N2535F · registry record · serial 7GCAA-33
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a cross country flight, the weather began to deteriorate. The pilot elected to turn back; however, the weather continued to deteriorate and the pilot elected to perform a forced landing to a dirt road. The pilot stated that it was raining and there was lightening all around. During the forced landing the airplane started to sink and hit the ground hard. The pilot stated that the left main landing gear was bent aft and the left wingtip hit the ground. There were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › (general) › Decision related to condition
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,080 hours in all; 2,200 in this make and model; 82 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 31, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,005 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2014
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KODO Odessa TX at 10:30 pm
- Destination: E38 Alpine TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 pm from KE38
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN14CA512.