Champion 7EC accident near Ravenswood, West Virginia, December 1, 2017
On December 1, 2017 at about 9:15 pm local time, a 1958 Champion 7EC, registered N7586E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Ravenswood, West Virginia (Jackson County 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2017 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ravenswood, West Virginia · Jackson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7EC NO SERIES, built 1958 · all 7ECs on the register
- Registration
- N7586E · no longer on the register · serial 7EC-680
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot completed one circuit in the traffic pattern that was uneventful, then performed a three-point landing. As the airplane's speed decreased, it began to veer to the right side of the runway. The pilot applied left aileron and full left rudder; however, the airplane continued off the right side of the runway. He applied full power to attempt to abort the landing, but the airplane went down an embankment before it came to rest, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing, right horizontal stabilizer, right elevator, and fuselage. The right main landing gear separated from the airplane during the accident sequence and, therefore, could not be tested. Although the pilot stated that the right brake "seized upon landing," an examination of the brake system did not reveal any evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Thus, it is likely that the pilot lost control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,756 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,686 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,562.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 2017; 0 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors Inc. C-90-12 (piston); 2,582 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I18 Ravenswood WV at 9:05 pm
- Destination: I18 Ravenswood WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from K3I2, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N7586E 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.