# NTSB CEN25FA005: Champion 7EC, N4337C, Fort Worth, TX, October 7, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report
- Date: October 7, 2024, 12:40 local (17:40 UTC)
- Place: Fort Worth, TX · Eagle Mountain Lake
- Coordinates: 32.960077, -97.504745 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9601&lon=-97.5047&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Continental Aerospace Technologies, FAA North Texas FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 195268
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25FA005
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195268/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA005

## Preliminary report

On October 7, 2024, about 1240 central daylight time, a Champion 7EC airplane, N4337C, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot’s family, the airplane was based at the Flying Oaks Airport (2TE2), Fort Worth, Texas. The purpose of the local area flight was for the pilot to depart from 2TE2, land and have lunch at an unknown location, and then return to 2TE2. A preliminary review of security video footage, located on private property on the shore of Eagle Mountain Lake (a large freshwater reservoir), showed the tailwheel-equipped airplane gradually descend about a 45° angle into the water. The airplane came to rest nose down in about 10 ft of water. The video footage showed the airplane to be structurally intact before the impact with water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The wreckage was recovered from Eagle Mountain Lake, and it was transported to a secure location for a future examination. The right wing and part of the engine were not recovered from the water. The airplane, known as a Champ, was equipped with a Continental Motors O-200A reciprocating engine and a McCauley MCM6950 two-blade fixed pitch aluminum propeller. A search revealed no Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast data associated with the accident flight. A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records showed that the pilot held a private pilot certificate (with an airplane single engine land rating), and his most recent FAA medical certificate (third class), was issued on December 15, 2008. FAA registration records showed that the pilot purchased the airplane on November 5, 2004.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Champion 7EC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=21101NM), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4337C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4337C), registered now, S/N 7EC-353 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CHAMPION 7EC (NO SERIES EXISTS)
- Registry model: [Champion 7EC](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7ec) (registry code 21101NM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental C90 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (registry code 17009, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 7EC-353
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: 2TE2, Fort Worth, TX
- Equipment: None

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 50° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observed at: KAFW, 10 nm away
- METAR: KAFW 071653Z 05006KT 10SM CLR 29/14 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP182 T02890139

## 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 20241007022279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241007022279A), Oct 7, 2024: Champion 7EC, Briar, TX, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On October 7, 2024, at approximately 1300 central daylight time, a Champion 7EC, [privacy data omitted], was flying level over eagle mountain lake. The…

## Other investigations on N4337C (2)

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 FTW81DRA49](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW81DRA49), Jul 30, 1981: Aeronca 7EC (N4337C), Laporte, TX, substantial damage
- [NTSB OAK69D0051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK69D0051), Jul 4, 1968: Aeronca 7EC (N4337C), Fremont, CA, substantial damage

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.

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