Champion 7ECA accident near Arlington, Wyoming, September 18, 1992
On September 18, 1992 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Champion 7ECA, registered N9662S, was destroyed in an accident near Arlington, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO TOUCH DOWN AT THE PROPER LANDING POINT ON THE ROAD. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 1992 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Wyoming
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N9662S · no longer on the register · serial 395
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE MANEUVERING, HE ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFTS RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. THE PILOT THEN INITIATED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A NEARBY ROAD DURING WHICH 'THE RIGHT MAIN TOUCHED DOWN JUST SHORT OF THE ROAD.' THE PILOT THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IT CAME TO REST AFTER IMPACTING A BARBED WIRE FENCE. THE PILOT ESTIMATED A TEMPERATURE OF 65 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AT THE CRASH SITE (8,500 FEET MSL) AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ESTIMATED AT 11,500 FEET. SURFACE WEATHER OBSERVATIONS AT RAWLINS AND LARAMIE (WEST AND EAST OF THE SITE RESPECTIVELY) REPORTED STRONG (20 KNOT) SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,709 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,692 as pilot in command; 1,010 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 80V Medicine Bow WY at 10:00 pm
- Destination: LAR Laramie WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.