Champion 7ECA accident near Sussex, New Jersey, August 27, 2024
On August 27, 2024 at about 11:07 pm local time, a 1965 Champion 7ECA, registered N9580S, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Sussex, New Jersey. 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 pilot’s failure to properly secure the left wing fuel cap, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2024 · about 11:07 pm local time
- Place
- Sussex, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA, built 1965 · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N9580S · registry record · serial 30
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was transporting the airplane from during a multi-leg trip and was on the second to last day of the trip. Prior to departure, he purchased fuel from a self-service pump and topped off both wing fuel tanks and checked that each fuel cap was properly secured. He calculated he had enough fuel for the 3.5 hour flight, plus a 40 to 50 minutes reserve, and departed. About 3 hrs. and 16 minutes into the flight, the engine lost total power. The pilot attempted to reach a nearby airport but made a forced landing about a mile short of the runway in trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane’s right wing and tail section. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the left wing fuel cap was missing, and fuel streaks were observed aft of the cap toward the trailing edge of the wing. The left wing fuel tank was intact and empty of fuel. The right wing fuel cap was secure, and the tank was absent of fuel. The pilot stated that he did not have any issues with the fuel cap properly securing prior to the accident flight. The left fuel cap was never located. Based on available information, it is likely that the cap was not properly installed, and that it separated from the airplane at some point during the flight. Fuel was subsequently siphoned from the tank(s), and as a result, the engine lost power sooner than the pilot calculated due to fuel exhaustion.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute defining event
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel storage › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 95 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 51 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8W2 New Market VA at 7:55 pm
- Destination: SWF New York NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KFWN, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KFWN 272253Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 27/21 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP170 T02670206
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on December 19, 2024. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Written Statement - Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Mor - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | NTSB Mor - FAA | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Fuel Receipt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N9580S 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.