Champion 7ECA accident near East Rockingham, North Carolina, October 7, 2025
On October 7, 2025 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1968 Champion 7ECA, registered N63BC, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near East Rockingham, North Carolina (Richmond County 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
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during initial climb, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 2025 · about 3:30 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- East Rockingham, North Carolina · Richmond County · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA, built 1968 · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N63BC · registry record · serial 637
- 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 was attempting a normal landing with a left crosswind. About 200 ft into the landing roll, the right wing began to lift, and he overcorrected with left rudder input in an attempt to level the airplane. Fearing a ground loop, the pilot subsequently rejected the landing. During the initial climb, as the pilot attempted to clear trees at the end of the runway, the airplane experienced an aerodynamic stall, resulting in impact with terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot also reported that there were no preimpact 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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 674.4 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 627 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 27, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,321.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2025; 16.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEB Maxton NC at 3:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,009 ft by 490 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 3021.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:30 am from RCZ
Weather report (METAR): METAR KRCZ 071530Z AUTO 16006KT 10SM SCT026 26/19 A3021
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 11, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photograph | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Report | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N63BC on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Champion 7 Citabria and Champ 1,452 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Champion 1,604 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES 6,132 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Richmond County · nearest airport
- Laurinburg/Maxton Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in North Carolina 1,762 since 1982 · 305 in the last ten years
- North Carolina 7,118 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA26LA008.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.