Champion 7GC accident near Rexburg, Idaho, May 12, 2012
On May 12, 2012, a 1965 Champion 7GC, registered N4861E, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Rexburg, Idaho (Rexburg Madison County airport). 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
A decrease in indicated oil pressure while maneuvering at low altitude for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Also causal was the pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during the precautionary landing to a field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2012
- Place
- Rexburg, Idaho · Rexburg Madison County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GC, built 1965 · all 7GCs on the register
- Registration
- N4861E · no longer on the register · serial 7GC-49
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The owner/pilot had completed two touch-and-go landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane at his home airport and then left the airport traffic pattern to overfly a property south of the airport. For the overflight, the pilot reduced the engine rpm to about 2,100 and operated at an altitude of several hundred feet above the ground. The pilot then noticed that the oil pressure indication had dropped to the bottom of the green arc. He increased the engine rpm but observed the oil pressure continue to decrease. He considered attempting to return to the airport but then decided against that due to the population density between the airport and his current position; he elected to conduct a precautionary landing in a field. On short final for the field, the pilot failed to see the power lines across the field. The airplane struck the power lines then landed hard in the field. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any mechanical abnormalities or conditions that would account for the decreased oil pressure indication, and when the engine was rotated with the starter, the oil pump was observed to produce expected pressure on the gauge and to pump oil.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 295 hours in all; 149 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 236 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 16, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,166 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 19, 2011; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 1,289 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RXE Rexburg ID
- Destination: RXE Rexburg ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 195° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from RXE, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.