Champion 7FC accident near Paris, Texas, June 30, 1992
On June 30, 1992 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Champion 7FC, registered N8942R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paris, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION POWER LOSS. FACTORS WERE A LOOSE FUEL CAP, INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 1992 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Paris, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7FC · all 7FCs on the register
- Registration
- N8942R · registry record · serial 7FC-382
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING A FUEL EXHAUSTION INDUCED TOTAL POWER LOSS, THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A MUDDY FIELD AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER TO THE INVERTED POSITION. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED A LEFT FUEL CAP THAT WAS LOOSE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE DID NOT CHECK THE FUEL CAP PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT WING AND FUSELAGE REVEALED FUEL STAINS. SIX DAYS PRIOR TO THE POWER LOSS, A 100 HOUR MAINTENANCE INSPECTION INDICATED THE FUEL CAP HAD BEEN CHECKED. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, AN ENGINE TEST RUN THROUGHOUT THE POWER RANGES REVEALED NO ANOMALIES.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,723 as pilot in command; 890 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,839 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 24, 1992; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LIT Little Rock AR at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:47 pm from TXK, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 FTW92LA174.