Champion 7ECA accident near Lake Dallas, Texas, July 5, 1995
On July 5, 1995 at about 8:58 pm local time, a Champion 7ECA, registered N11064, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Dallas, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 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 MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND THE RESULTING INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. A FACTOR WAS INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE RESULTING IN THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE BEING STUCK OPEN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1995 · about 8:58 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Dallas, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N11064 · no longer on the register · serial 65
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PERFORMED AN ENGINE RUNUP BEFORE TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 17. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE AIRPLANE 'USED APPROXIMATELY 2,000 FEET OF RUNWAY TO BECOME AIRBORNE.' ANOTHER WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT'S DEPARTURE AND REPORTED THAT IT 'APPEARED TO BE UNDER POWERED AND SLOW.' ANOTHER WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE PLANE PASSED OVERHEAD AND 'I HEARD THE ENGINE SPUTTER.' HE FURTHER OBSERVED 'I SAW THE PLANE BANK UP AND TO THE EAST; THE ENGINE SPUTTERED TWICE AGAIN AND THE PLANE STALLED OUT SPIRALLING DOWN INTO THE WATER.' AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION DUE TO CARBON BUILDUP ON THE VALVE GUIDE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 310 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 265 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,465 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3OF at 9:57 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from DAL, 15 miles away
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.