Champion 7ECA accident near Everett, Washington, March 27, 1991
On March 27, 1991 at about 2:18 am local time, a Champion 7ECA, registered N371RF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Everett, Washington (Paine Fld 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 DID NOT MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. FACTORS TOT HE ACCIENT WERE THE PILOT INADEQUATELY PLANNED THE APPROACH, AND UNCONTROLLED GROUND-LOOP, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1991 · about 2:18 am local time
- Place
- Everett, Washington · Paine Fld · 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
- N371RF · no longer on the register · serial 506
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THEN END OF A FLIGHT, THE PILOT INTENED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE LONG DOWN THE RUNWAY. UPON TOUCH-DOWN, THE AIRSPEED WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL AND THE AIRPLANE BECAME 'SQUIRELLY.' THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND GROUND-LOOPED.
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: 174 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 163 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S88 Arlington WA at 1:50 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.