Champion 7GCB accident near Grand Island, Nebraska, July 29, 1985
On July 29, 1985 at about 6:56 pm local time, a Champion 7GCB, registered N9937Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Island, Nebraska (Hall County Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- July 29, 1985 · about 6:56 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Island, Nebraska · Hall County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCB · all 7GCBs on the register
- Registration
- N9937Y · registry record · serial 7GCB-129
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLT, THE PLT ENCOUNTERED RADIO RECEIVER PROBLEMS & DIVERTED TO GRAND ISLAND, NE. DURING ARRIVAL, HE REQUESTED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE, BUT COULD NOT ASCERTAIN IF THE TOWER HAD ANSWERED. RADIO COMMUNICATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN & THE ACFT WAS CLEARED TO LAND. WHILE LANDING WITH A 12 KT X-WIND, THE ACFT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT, WENT INTO AN AREA OF MUD & WAS DAMAGED; HOWEVER, THE PLT WAS ABLE TO TAXI TO THE PARKING AREA.
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: 138 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 101 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,925 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 23, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OLU Columbus NE at 6:00 pm
- Destination: LXN Lexington NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft; not recorded at 700 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.