# Accident 20220711011819A: Champion 7EC, Valdez, AK, July 11, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 11, 2022, 17:30 local time
- Place: Valdez, AK
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.1338° N, 145.7312° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1338&lon=-145.7312&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4340C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4340C) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Champion 7EC (registry code 21101NM, https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7ec) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C90 series (registry code 17009, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CHAMPION 7EC
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 45 total, 45 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC22FA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC22FA053) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220711011819A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JULY 11, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 1730 ADT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A CH7A CHAMPION SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN THE VICINITY OF THOMPSON PASS ALASKA APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES EAST OF VALDEZ, ALASKA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED UNDER FAR PART 91 BY A STUDENT PILOT WITH APPROXIMATELY 45 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME.

AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 ADT/0100Z, THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED VALDEZ, ALASKA. THE CURRENT METAR AT VALDEZ REPORTED WINDS 260 @ 11 KNOTS, 3100? OVERCASE A FEW AT 1500' WITH 3 MILES VIS, RAIN AND MIST.  THE PILOT WAS DEPARTING VALDEZ TO RETURN TO HIS HOME AT SUTTON ALASKA. THE ALASKA DOT HIGHWAY WEATHER CAMERAS WITHIN A MILE OF THE ACCIENT SITE DEPICTED LOW CLOUDS/FOG TO THE SURFACE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH BASIC ATTITUDE FLYING INSTRUMENTATION AND BECAUSE THE STUDENT PILOT?S AIRCRAFT THAT HE TRAINED IN WAS NOT EQUIPED WITH ATTITUDE INSTRUMENTS,  THE STUDENT DID NOT RECEIVED ATTITUDE FLYING INSTRUCTION PRIOR TO SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHTS.

THE STUDENT PILOT DID NOT RECEIVE GROUND INSTRUCTION FOR A FLIGHT TO VALDEZ, AK NOR DID THE STUDENT HAVE A CURRENT 90 DAY SOLO ENDORSEMENT REQUIRED BY FAR REGULATIONS. IT APPEARS THE STUDENT WAS NOT OPERATING UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.

INVESTIGATION AT THE CRASH SITE INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD FLOWN OVER THOMPSON PASS AND CRASHED ABOUT 1380 FEET AWAY FROM HWY 4 (THE RICHARDSON HIGHWAY). THE DEBRIS PATTERN APPEARS TO SUPPORT THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL UNDER POWER AND DECENDING RAPIDLY. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO DESCENDING TERRAIN ON THE NORTH FACE OF THE PASS. THE EVIDENCE APPEARS TO SUPPORT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY LOW LEVEL FOLLOWING THE RICHARDSON HIGHWAY INTO RISING TERRAIN CAUSING THE PILOT TO INADVERTENTLY ENTER INTO IMC CONDITIONS LEADING TO A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT THEN APPEARS HAVE EITHER ENTERED INTO A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT A HIGH RATE OF DECENT TO THE CRASH LOCATION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC22FA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC22FA053), Jul 12, 2022: Champion 7EC (N4340C), Valdez, AK, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions which resulted in loss of control and collision with terrain.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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