Champion 7EC accident near Southlake, Texas, May 19, 1982
On May 19, 1982 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Champion 7EC, registered N7477B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Southlake, Texas. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1982 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Southlake, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7EC · all 7ECs on the register
- Registration
- N7477B · registry record · serial 7EC-535
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THE PRIVATE PILOT SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT, THOUGHT THE COWLING WAS LOOSE. THE PILOT INFORMED THE OWNER AND COMMERCIAL PILOT IN THE REAR SEAT WHO TOOK CONTROL AND DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE SUSPECTED LOOSE COWLING WAS A PIECE OF RUBBER IN THE AIR INTAKE TO KEEP OUT BIRDS.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,320 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 3,110 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,390 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Southlake TX at 6:44 pm
- Destination: Southlake TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.