# NTSB ERA25LA147: Champion 7AC, N1369E, Palmetto, FL, March 18, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 18, 2025, 10:46 local (14:46 UTC) - Place: Palmetto, FL - Coordinates: 27.642633, -82.522389 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.6426&lon=-82.5224&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 199875 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA147 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199875/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199875 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA147 ## Probable cause The flight instructor’s inability to overpower control inputs made by the student pilot during initial climb, which resulted in the airplane impacting powerlines and the ground. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: unnecessary action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041045): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Champion 7AC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041045/cases.md?model=21101MA), [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041045/cases.md) - [Physical characteristic: strength](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02011020): Personnel issues › Physical · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Champion 7AC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02011020/cases.md?model=21101MA), [All aircraft, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02011020/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Champion 7AC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=21101MA), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Champion 7AC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=21101MA), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Champion 7AC, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=21101MA), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The instructional flight was the student pilot’s second ever flight. The flight instructor reported that he was flying the airplane for the takeoff and initial climb. During the departure, the “nervous” student pilot grabbed the control stick and applied full left aileron input. The flight instructor tried to regain control of the airplane but was unsuccessful. The airplane subsequently struck power lines at a height of about 25 ft above ground level before impacting the ground. The flight instructor and the student were seriously injured and both of the airplane’s wings, the fuselage, and the empennage were substantially damaged during the accident. A postaccident examination of the airplane’s flight controls revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation, nor did the flight instructor report any. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1369E](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1369E), registered now, S/N 7AC-4930 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CHAMPION 7AC - Registry model: [Champion 7AC](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7ac) (registry code 21101MA) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7AC-4930 - Airframe hours: 3592 - Engines: Continental A-65 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 4, 2024, 40 hours before - Airport: 48X, Manatee, runway 07, 3,200 × 100 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 86; injuries: serious; flight instructor, airline transport, flight engineer, remote; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: rear; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 28,401 total - Student pilot; age 69; injuries: serious; seat: front; restraint: lap only ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg - Observed at: MCF, 12 nm away - METAR: METAR KMCF 181355Z AUTO 05010KT 10SM CLR 18/M00 A3019 RMK AO2 SLP226 T01791004 $ ## 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 20250318010859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250318010859A), Mar 18, 2025: Champion 7AC, Palmetto, FL, Destroyed. Aircraft took off and almost inmediately turned left, flew over hangars and hit a power line and crashed on a parked vehicle. Aircraft was destroyed, occupants… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 17, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199875. 4.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18774285&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1%20Owner%20with%20Signature_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� flight instructor statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18900820&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FI%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� FAA interview, flight instructor (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18774663&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FAA%20-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, owner (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 88 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18774119&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Airplane%20Owner%20Interview-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 174 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18774329&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Print%20FAA%20Inspector%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 6, PDF, 5 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18774749&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ERA25LA147-Rel.pdf 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.