Champion 7GCG accident near Neavitt, Maryland, July 4, 1998
On July 4, 1998 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Champion 7GCG, registered N9985Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Neavitt, Maryland. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1998 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Neavitt, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCG · all 7GCGs on the register
- Registration
- N9985Y · no longer on the register · serial 185
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot positioned the airplane for a water departure, and advanced the throttle. The airplane then accelerated normally, and became airborne about 60 mph. When the airplane broke the water it pulled to the right. The pilot said he thought this was normal because on most water departures one float will come off the water first causing a slight turn in the opposite direction. However, in this case the turn to the right continued. The pilot tried to stop the turn with left stick, and left rudder but found them ineffective. The airplane then struck the water, right float and right wing first, flipped over, and came to rest inverted. Both the pilot and passenger had life-vests on, and exited the airplane from underwater. Winds were reported calm by a witness and flight control continuity was established. The airplane's floats showed minimal corrosion and all the chambers were intact. The pilot had approximately 30 hours of float plane experience, and he received his seaplane rating about July 1993.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 261 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 136 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 24, 1998; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,725 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Annapolis MD at 2:40 pm
- Destination: NONE MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from BWI, 36 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N9985Y 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.