Champion 7ECA accident near Vincentown, New Jersey, February 1, 1986
On February 1, 1986 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Champion 7ECA, registered N55047, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vincentown, New Jersey (Red Lion 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 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
- February 1, 1986 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Vincentown, New Jersey · Red Lion
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N55047 · no longer on the register · serial 1265-78
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT A NORMAL APPROACH AND A 3 POINT LANDING WERE MADE AT THE RED LION AIRPORT. HOWEVER AFTER THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED FOR 2-3 SECONDS, IT STARTED TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. LEFT RUDDER WAS APPLIED, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE PILOT THEN APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER AND BRAKES. THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED DOWN, BUT REPORTEDLY THERE WAS STILL NO RESPONSEFROM THE LEFT RUDDER. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE, COLLIDED WITH A DIRT EMBANKMENT AND WAS DAMAGED. AN EXAM OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS MADE, BUT NO PRE-ACDNT MALFUCTION WAS FOUND.
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: 149 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 87 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,838 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N73 at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 2,900 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.