Champion 7GCAA accident near Townsend, Montana, August 16, 1991
On August 16, 1991 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Champion 7GCAA, registered N1645G, was destroyed in an accident near Townsend, Montana (Canyon Ferry airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S NOT MAINTAINING THE POWER OFF STALL SPEED RESULTING IN A STALL CONDITION. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO ENABLE A SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY FROM THE STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1991 · about 1:45 pm local time · cases in 1991
- Place
- Townsend, Montana · Canyon Ferry · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCAA · all 7GCAAs on the register
- Registration
- N1645G · registry record · serial 63
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SUBSEQUENT TO A SIMULATED POWER LOSS AND FORCED LANDING CONDUCTED BY THE PILOT UNDER INSTRUCTION, THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND COMMENCED A DEMONSTRATION OF THE ALTITUDE LOST DURING AN ATTEMPTED TURN BACK TO THE FIELD. DURING THE MANEUVER THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRSPEED TO DECAY BELOW THE POWER OFF STALL SPEED AND THE AIRCRAFT STALLED. INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE WAS AVAILABLE TO ENABLE A SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.
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: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 685 hours in all; 96 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 631 as pilot in command; 279 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no 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-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HLN Helena MT at 1:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Observation at 1:50 pm from HLN, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1645G on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Champion 7 Citabria and Champ 1,452 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Champion 1,604 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D 258 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Canyon Ferry Airport · nearest airport
- Helena Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Montana 1,121 since 1982 · 166 in the last ten years
- Montana 6,047 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA91LA208.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.