Champion 7GC accident near Gerlach, Nevada, October 21, 2017
On October 21, 2017 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1958 Champion 7GC, registered N7589E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Gerlach, Nevada (Black Rock City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's incorrect pitch control during the landing roll in shifting wind conditions, which resulted in a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2017 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gerlach, Nevada · Black Rock City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GC NO SERIES, built 1958 · all 7GCs on the register
- Registration
- N7589E · no longer on the register · serial 7GC-23
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during a wheel landing, the wind shifted from a crosswind to a quartering tailwind. He further reported that he applied full aft elevator but lost control of the pitch when the wind shifted, and the airplane nosed over about 5 to 10 knots groundspeed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not submit the NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report.
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
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 88NV Gerlach NV
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 25, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation (Pilot in Command) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.