Champion 7ECA accident near La Crosse, Wisconsin, January 18, 1987
On January 18, 1987 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Champion 7ECA, registered N9999Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Crosse, Wisconsin (Lacrosse Muni. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 1987 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- La Crosse, Wisconsin · Lacrosse Muni. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N9999Y · no longer on the register · serial 7ECA2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE THIRD TRY AT AN ENGINE START THE ENG STARTED AND RAN AT FULL THROTTLE. THE PLT COULD NOT REDUCE RPM. TO AVOID STRIKING TWO PARKED ACFT THE PLT STRUCK A HANGAR. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. THE PLT LATER STATED THAT THE BRAKES COULD NOT OVERCOME THE THRUST OF FULL THROTTLE.
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: student
- Flight time: 37 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,097 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1986; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from LSE
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.