Champion 7EC accident near Ocoee, Florida, December 12, 1987
On December 12, 1987 at about 4:58 pm local time, a Champion 7EC, registered N4387C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocoee, Florida (Orlando West airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 1987 · about 4:58 pm local time
- Place
- Ocoee, Florida · Orlando West
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7EC · all 7ECs on the register
- Registration
- N4387C · registry record · serial 7EC416
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT BEFORE TAKEOFF, HE MADE A THOROUGH PREFLT, WHICH INCLUDED A CHECK OF THE FUEL SYS FOR CONTAMINATES & WATER, BUT NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT AN ALT OF APRX 100 FT, THE ENG SPUTTERED & LOST PWR. THE PLT STATED HE MADE A LEFT TURN TO LAND IN A CLEARING, BUT THE MAIN GEAR HIT A PILE OF DIRT. LATER, AN EXAM OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED THAT IT CONTAINED WATER. THE PLT STATED THAT DRG THE PREFLT, HE ROCKED THE WINGS OF THE ACFT BEFORE DRAINING FUEL SAMPLE & POSSIBLY DID NOT ALLOW ENOUGH TIME FOR ADNL WATER TO ACCUMULATE. THE PLT WAS TAKEN TO A MEDICAL CENTER & TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES. A CHECK OF HIS BLOOD SHOWED A VERY LOW LVL OF ALCOHOL (0.0074%). THE LAST ANNUAL INSPN OF THE ACFT WAS DATED 7/3/86.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,512 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,471 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 1986; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,430 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from ORL, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4387C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.