Champion 7GC accident near Gillette, Wyoming, June 14, 1993
On June 14, 1993 at about 4:49 pm local time, a Champion 7GC, registered N8947R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gillette, Wyoming (Campbell County 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S NOT MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE OVERLOAD OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN CONVENTIONALLY GEARED AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1993 · about 4:49 pm local time
- Place
- Gillette, Wyoming · Campbell County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GC · all 7GCs on the register
- Registration
- N8947R · registry record · serial 7GC163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 34 THE CONVENTIONALLY GEARED AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO OSCILLATE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE PILOT IN COMMAND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND AS THE OSCILLATION INCREASED IN SEVERITY, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DUE TO SIDE LOADING. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE INVESTIGATOR THAT HE HAD MINIMAL TIME IN CONVENTIONALLY GEARED AIRCRAFT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 810 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 205 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 690 as pilot in command; 230 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,802 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 19, 1993; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GCC at 3:30 pm
- Destination: GCC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 SEA93LA131.