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 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 2025 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- East Rockingham, North Carolina · Richmond County · 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
- 553060 during descent - uncontrolled
- 350241 during loss of engine power
- 650470 during 650
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
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- 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
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,321.8 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, 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
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
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: scattered at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 79°C, dew point 66°C
- Altimeter: 3021 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA008.