# NTSB ANC90LA023: Champion 7ECA, N7615S, Tanana, AK, December 29, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 29, 1989, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place: Tanana, AK
- Coordinates: 65.180732, -152.070877 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=65.1807&lon=-152.0709&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 5, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 5331
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC90LA023
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/5331/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC90LA023

## Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AXLE BOLT.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Main gear collapsed, landing
  - landing gear,axle - failure,total (cause)

## Analysis

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS USING HIS AIRPLANE TO TEND HIS TRAP LINE. SHORTLY AFTER TOUCH DOWN ON A FROZEN, SNOW COVERED LAKE, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AXLE BOLT (HOLDING THE SKI TO THE GEAR LEG) FAILED. THE SKI THEN SEPARATED FROM THE GEAR LEG AND THE AIRPLANE WAS FURTHER DAMAGED BEFORE IT CAME TO REST. THE PILOT BELIEVED THE AXLE BOLT HAD FAILED DUE TO THE CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF CONSISTENTLY LANDING ON ROUGH TERRAIN. ACCORDING TO HIM, THERE WAS NO INHERENT FLAW OR DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE AXLE BOLT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7615S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7615S-2014-11-18), registration cancelled 2014-11-18, S/N 1162-76, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Champion 7ECA
- Registry model: [Bellanca 7ECA](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7eca) (registry code 1220460) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1162-76
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-C1 115 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Operator: Quinn, Michael H.
- Registered owner: Michael H. Quinn
- Departed: FAI, FAIRBANKS, AK
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 32; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 445 total, 410 in this make and model, 400 as pilot in command, 42 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19891229054359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891229054359A), Dec 29, 1989: Bbavia 7ECA, Tanana, AK, Substantial damage. Ski equipped aircraft landed on frozen lake and main gear axle bolt failed. Repeated landings on rough snow and ice

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.