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).
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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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1991 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Townsend, Montana · Canyon Ferry · 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA91LA208.