Champion 7ECA accident near Monroe, Louisiana, August 10, 1995
On August 10, 1995 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Champion 7ECA, registered N5147T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monroe, Louisiana (Monroe Regional airport). 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 IMPROPER FLARE AND THE INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1995 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Monroe, Louisiana · Monroe Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N5147T · no longer on the register · serial 555
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE FIRST LANDING, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR INTENTIONALLY 'BALLOONED' THE AIRPLANE WITH THE INTENTION THAT THE RECOVERY FROM THE MANEUVER WOULD BE MADE BY THE STUDENT. THE STUDENT TOOK THE CONTROLS, ADDED POWER AND 'RETURNED TO A STALL LANDING.' THE AIRPLANE 'STALLED' APPROXIMATELY 12 TO 18 INCHES ABOVE THE GROUND, THE RIGHT WING 'DROPPED,' AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE OWNER AND OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS ENROLLED AS A STUDENT IN THE TAILWHEEL TRAINING COURSE. THE HARD LANDING RESULTED IN STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SUPPORT TUBE, AND LONGERONS AND STRINGERS IN THE FUSELAGE AREA WERE TWISTED.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,332 hours in all; 101 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 1,255 as pilot in command; 622 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mcmahan Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MLU at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.