- Date
- August 31, 2025, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sutton, AK · Remote mountain side
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5267XChampion 7GCBC
- Defining event
- Approach: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20250831018879A
- Case key
- 200961
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The airplane’s encounter with a downdraft while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in a forced landing and collision with terrain.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while on approach to a remote airstrip in an area of mountainous terrain, he encountered a strong downdraft that forced the airplane into an area of rough and uneven terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and lift struts. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5267X
- Reported as
- Champion 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 192
- Built
- 1969
- Airframe hours
- 2,444
- Engine
- Lycoming O320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Special, Provisional (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 22, 2025
- Departed
- PAQ · Palmer, AK
- Destination
- PAQ · Palmer, AK
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 20, 2024
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 587 total · 517 in this make and model · 487 as pilot in command · 57 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- PAAQ, 23 nm away
- METAR
- PAAQ 312153Z 22005KT 10SM OVC100 13/07 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP239 T01330072
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 22, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 98.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5267X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.