# Accident 20251007015039A: Champion 7ECA, Rockinghham, NC, October 7, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 7, 2025, 11:36 local time
- Place: Rockinghham, NC
- Airport: Richmond County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.8904° N, 79.7585° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8904&lon=-79.7585&mi=10
- Aircraft: N63BC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N63BC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Champion 7ECA (registry code 21101NN, https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7eca) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CHAMPION 7ECA
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 674 total, 17 in this make and model, 60 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA008) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251007015039A

## Narrative

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

ON 10/7/2025, A 1968 CHAMPION 7ECA AIRCRAFT WITH 2 OCCUPANTS FLEW DIRECTLY FROM KMEB TO KRCZ TO PRACTICE GRASS STRIP LANDINGS. FIRST LANDING ATTEMPT RESULTED IN A GO AROUND. DURING THE SECOND APPROACH, THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT, BUT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET INTO THE ROLLOUT, THE RIGHT WING BEGAN TO LIFT. BEING CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE GROUND LOOP, THE PILOT APPLIED POWER TO EXECUTE ANOTHER GO AROUND, HOWEVER THE PILOT FAILED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE ADDITIONAL WEIGHT OF A PASSENGER AND DID NOT PUSH THE STICK FORWARD TO GET THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE GROUND. DURING CLIMB OUT, THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH LIFT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STALLED AND ENTERED A GROVE OF PINE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE TOP, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROTATE TO THE RIGHT, SPINNING AND DESCENDING TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN AN APPROXIMATE 45 DEGREE NOSE DOWN POSITION WITH THE AIRCRAFT BEING SUSPENDED OFF THE GROUND BY SEVERAL SMALLER TREES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE RIGHT WING BRACING THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RIGHT. THE LEFT WING WAS FOUND BROKEN AT THE WING ROOT AND WAS FOLDED OVER THE TOP OF THE AIRCRAFT. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS DETERMINED TO BE SUBSTANTIAL. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED FROM EITHER OF THE OCCUPANTS.

SAS TASK ID #T-EA68-FY26-0185

## 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 ERA26LA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA008), Oct 7, 2025: Champion 7ECA (N63BC), East Rockingham, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during initial climb, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and impact 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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