Champion 7EC accident near St George, Utah, May 16, 1989
On May 16, 1989 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Champion 7EC, registered N7525E, was substantially damaged in an accident near St George, Utah (St George Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS BY THE PILOT. THE GUSTY CROSSWIND, SOFT TERRAIN, AND DITCH WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1989 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- St George, Utah · St George Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7EC · all 7ECs on the register
- Registration
- N7525E · registry record · serial 7EC-670
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-&-GO LANDINGS ON RWY 16 WITH A WESTERLY WIND ESTIMATED AT 5 GUSTING 15 KTS. ON THE 3RD APCH, HE ELECTED TO MAKE A FULL STOP LANDING. DRG THE LANDING ROLL, A GUST WEATHER-VANED THE PLANE TO THE RIGHT; CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY, ENCOUNTERED SOFT TERRAIN & A DITCH, THEN NOSED OVER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 233 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 137 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SGU at 7:25 pm
- Destination: SGU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 6,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.