Champion 7KCAB accident near Pocatello, Idaho, June 11, 1990
On June 11, 1990 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Champion 7KCAB, registered N1877G, was destroyed in an accident near Pocatello, Idaho. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOTS POOR JUDGEMENT IN PERFORMING LOW ALTITUDE STEEP TURN MANEUVERS RESULTING IN AN INADVERTANT STALL AT AN ALTITUDE TOO LOW FOR RECOVERY. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE OVER GROSS WEIGHT AND OUT-OF-CG AIRCRAFT LOADING, AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1990 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Pocatello, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N1877G · no longer on the register · serial 108
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS ON A STUDENT TRAINING FLT IN AN AREA WHERE THE INSTRUCTOR WAS KNOWN TO HAVE STUDENTS PERFORM LOW LEVEL CONTOUR FOLLOWING FLTS AT ALTITUDES AS LOW AS 10 FT AGL FOLLOWING THE WINDING SNAKE RIVER. THESE FLIGHTS REQUIRED CONSTANT STEEP TURNS WITH 60-70 DEG BANK ANGLES TO STAY OVER THE RIVER. THE 54-HR STUDENT PILOT WAS ON HIS 2ND LOCAL TRAINING FLT SINCE RESUMING FLT TRAINING AFTER BEING INACTIVE FOR 8 YEARS. THE ACFT WAS OVER GW AND OUT OF AFT CG LIMITS FOR AEROBATIC FLIGHT. WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE 18 KNOTS GUSTING TO 27.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,188 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,948 as pilot in command; 1,474 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,820 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 11, 1990; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIH Pocatello ID at 9:28 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 18 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from PIH, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.