- Date
- July 3, 2020, 12:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Port O'Conner, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9891BChampion 7EC
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 3
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200703011599A
- Case key
- 101536
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 loss of engine power due to a stuck intake valve.
Findings · 1
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 departed on a local flight along the coastline. About 15 minutes into the flight, the engine lost power. The airplane would not hold altitude and impacted terrain and brush about 400 yards from the coastline and a small postcrash fire developed in the engine compartment. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the wing struts and bottom fuselage. Examination of the engine found that the No. 3 intake valve was stuck in the open position. A reason for the stuck valve was not identified. It was also noted that the valve springs on all the cylinders were weak; however, it could not be determined if this was due to heat from the engine compartment fire. No other pre-impact abnormalities were found.
Factual narrative
On July 3, 2020, about 1215 central daylight time, a Champion 7EC airplane, N9891B, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Port O'Connor, Texas. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, after adding fuel to the airplane, he departed from the Calhoun County Airport (KPKV) and flew along the coastline. About 15 minutes into the flight, the engine lost power. He established best glide airspeed and turned the airplane towards land. The airplane would not hold altitude and impacted terrain and brush about 400 yards from the coastline. A small post-crash fire developed in the engine compartment; substantial damaged was noted to the wing struts and bottom fuselage. Damage was also found on the main landing gear and propeller. The wreckage was recovered to a hangar and an engine examination was conducted. The examination found that the No. 3 intake valve was stuck in the open position. A reason for the stuck valve was not identified. It was also noted that the valve springs on all the cylinders were weak; however, it could not be determined if this was due to heat from the post-crash engine compartment fire. No other pre-impact abnormalities were found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9891B
- Reported as
- Champion 7EC (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 211
- Built
- 1958
- Airframe hours
- 3,026
- Engine
- Contiental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 24, 2019
- Departed
- KPKV · Port Lavaca, TX
- Destination
- Port O'Connor, TX
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
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 5, 2018
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,061 total · 41 in this make and model · 925 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 79 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KPKV
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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 N9891B · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.