Champion 7EC accident near Chewelah, Washington, July 27, 1993
On July 27, 1993 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Champion 7EC, registered N4394C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chewelah, Washington (Sand Canyon 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 FAILURE OF THE PIC TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND CORRECT FOR GROUND LOOP/SWERVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1993 · about 5:00 pm local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Chewelah, Washington · Sand Canyon · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7EC · all 7ECs on the register
- Registration
- N4394C · registry record · serial 7EC-423
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT SWERVED OFF THE RUNWAY DURING LANDING ROLL AND IMPACTED A TREE.
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: 624 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,229 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 1993; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A48 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from SFF, 42 miles away
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4394C 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: Continental O-200-A48 8,790 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Chewelah Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 361 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,664 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA93LA164.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.