Champion 7GCBC accident near Monticello, Utah, June 4, 1989
On June 4, 1989 at about 3:39 pm local time, a Champion 7GCBC, registered N7545F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monticello, Utah (San Juan County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE TERRAIN CONDITION WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1989 · about 3:39 pm local time
- Place
- Monticello, Utah · San Juan County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N7545F · no longer on the register · serial 222-70
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AS THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING AFTER TAKEOFF, BUT IT BEGAN RUNNING NORMALLY AFTER THE NOSE WAS LOWERED. HOWEVER, AS THE PLT WAS MANEUVERING TO RETURN TO THE ARPT, THE ENG LOST POWER AGAIN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING ON UNPREPARED TERRAIN. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT AFTER THE ACDNT & NO FUEL SPILL WAS EVIDENT.
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: 843 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 766 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 27, 1988; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U43 at 3:30 pm
- Destination: U43
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,817 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N7545F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.