Champion 7ECA accident near Pulaski, Wisconsin, October 21, 2000
On October 21, 2000 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Champion 7ECA, registered N7586F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pulaski, Wisconsin (Carter 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the evasive maneuver initiated by the pilot. Factors were the presence of the skydiver on the runway, and the pilot's selection of a closed runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2000 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Pulaski, Wisconsin · Carter Airport · 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
- N7586F · registry record · serial 742-70
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage when it veered off of a closed grass runway and nosed over. The pilot said that on final approach he noticed a skydiver. He said, "In my judgment it was clear to land on the sod runway as the skydiver was on target over his designated landing spot, well to the left of runway 12. I touched the aircraft down and at that time the skydiver must have turned downwind as he ended up landing in the middle of the runway. I applied my right rudder to avoid a collision with the skydiver. This action resulted in my crossing the paved runway and entering the field. At this point I hit some brush and flipped the aircraft." No anomalies were found with respect to the aircraft that could be associated with a preexisting condition and the pilot reported none. An employee at the airport said that the grass runway was closed at the time of the accident.
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: 578 hours in all; 19 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,802 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 2000; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 92C at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,400 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 129°F (54°C), dew point 104°F (40°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from GRB, 10 miles away
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.
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.