Champion 7EC accident near Northhampton, New York, November 29, 2020
On November 29, 2020 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1958 Champion 7EC, registered N9721N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Northhampton, New York (None 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 loss of airplane control during an off-airport landing on soft sand, which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 2020 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Northhampton, New York · None · 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
- N9721N · registry record · serial 661
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he planned to complete a landing on a gravel/ sand bank along a river. He first completed an approach and a momentary touchdown and subsequently performed a go-around, in effort to evaluate the condition of the landing surface. During the second approach and landing, the airplane touched down on gravel and as the ground roll progressed into soft sand, the airplane slowed considerably, the tail rose, and the airplane nosed over. The windscreen and wing spar sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,056 hours in all; 472 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2.3 in the last 30 days; 989 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 30, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,085.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-12F (piston); 3,085 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTD Potsdam NY at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 am from KALB, 30 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KALB 291851Z 15007KT 10SM CLR 08/M03 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP181 T00781028
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 15, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.