Champion 7GC accident near Paragould, Arkansas, April 15, 1995
On April 15, 1995 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Champion 7GC, registered N4842E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paragould, Arkansas (Kirk Field). It was an instructional 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 STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT GROUNDLOOP. A FACTOR WAS THE INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1995 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Paragould, Arkansas · Kirk Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GC · all 7GCs on the register
- Registration
- N4842E · no longer on the register · serial 7GC-42
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE STUDENT PILOT INITIATED THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 22, THE AIRPLANE GROUNDLOOPED TO THE LEFT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED AN UNSUCCESSFUL RECOVERY AND THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A DITCH. STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE RIGHT WING AND GEAR. THE WIND WAS FROM 180 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS. THE PILOT'S REPORT INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 6,800 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,920 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 1995; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JBR Jonesboro AR at 2:30 pm
- Destination: PGR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,798 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.