Champion AERONCA 7FC accident near Hessel, Michigan, April 2, 2020
On April 2, 2020 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 1958 Champion AERONCA 7FC, registered N3JZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hessel, Michigan (Albert J Lindberg airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a snowbank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2020 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hessel, Michigan · Albert J Lindberg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion AERONCA 7FC No Series, built 1958 · all AERONCA 7FCs on the register
- Registration
- N3JZ · registry record · serial 7FC-212
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he attempted a three-point, full-stall landing with a right-quartering headwind of about 10 to 15 knots. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered an unanticipated wind gust that raised the right wing and turned the airplane about 30° to the right. The pilot attempted to correct, but the airplane exited the right side of the runway and impacted a snowbank. The airplane then decelerated rapidly and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and wing strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 122 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 0.2 in the last 90 days; 0.2 in the last 30 days; 72 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 14, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 1,860 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5Y1 Hessel MI at 10:25 pm
- Destination: 5Y1 Hessel MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
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 CEN20CA138.