Champion 7GBC accident near Staten Island, New York, July 10, 1988
On July 10, 1988 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Champion 7GBC, registered N7523F, was destroyed in an accident near Staten Island, New York. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 10, 1988 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Staten Island, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GBC · all 7GBCs on the register
- Registration
- N7523F · registry record · serial 206-70
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER FLYING INTO A THUNDERSTORM HE ENCOUNTERED STRONG TURBULENCE, HEAVY DOWNDRAFTS AND RAIN, WHICH FORCED HIM INTO THE WATER. WHEN HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS GOING DOWN HE DROPPED THE BANNER HE WAS TOWING 'BUT THE AIRPLANE DIDN'T WANT TO KEEP FLYING EVEN THOUGH I HAD FULL POWER.' THE ACFT SANK AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 370 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 315 as pilot in command; 20 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,532 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1988; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4NY7 E. Moriches NY at 7:00 pm
- Destination: BLM Farmingdale NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.