Champion 7ECA accident near Hardin, Montana, April 10, 2004
On April 10, 2004 at about 8:05 pm local time, a Champion 7ECA, registered N5235X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hardin, Montana (Fairgrounds Airpark 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 pilot's failure to perform a go-around. Contributing factors were the pilot's misjudgment of speed and distance and the tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2004 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Hardin, Montana · Fairgrounds Airpark · map
- 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
- N5235X · registry record · serial 698
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he determined the wind to be approximately 30 degrees from the right at 10 to 12 knots and favoring runway 22, but on final approach he noticed the wind was stronger and nearly 90 degrees from the right. The pilot then elected to land on a grass area adjacent to runway 22, which was approximately 1,000 feet long and into the wind. On his final approach to the grass strip the pilot noticed a fence bordering the end of the runway, resulting in an approach a little higher and faster than normal. After touching down and determining he would not be able to stop before the end of the runway, the pilot aborted the landing. During the aborted landing the airplane's left wing impacted a tree, spinning it 180 degrees to the left before falling to the ground in an upright position. A weather observation taken about 10 minutes prior to the accident from an airport located 38 nautical miles west of the accident airport revealed in part that the wind was from 310 degrees at 17 knots with gusts to 24 knots. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the flight.
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: single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,639 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 2,405 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 9, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,909 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 2003; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3U3 Anaconda MT at 5:35 pm
- Destination: F02 Hardin MT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 3,542 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 17 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,589 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from BIL, 40 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.
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.