# NTSB WPR25LA242: Champion 7FC, N50778, Moriarty, NM, July 31, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: July 31, 2025, 08:40 local (14:40 UTC)
- Place: Moriarty, NM
- Coordinates: 34.982029, -106.00813 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9820&lon=-106.0081&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 9, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200718
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA242
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200718/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200718
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA242

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Champion 7FC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=21101NX), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Champion 7FC, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=21101NX), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Champion 7FC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=21101NX), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported he was practicing landings and he intentionally flew slow on the approach to landing. The pilot said that during the landing flare, he forgot to focus on the horizon, and the airplane was high, and it stalled. Subsequently the airplane landed hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N50778](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N50778), registered now, S/N 432, built 1961 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CHAMPION 7FC
- Registry model: [Champion 7FC](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7fc) (registry code 21101NX) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental C90-12F](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-12f) (registry code 17183, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 432
- Year built: 1961
- Airframe hours: 3780
- Engines: Continental C90 90 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, February 2, 2025, 96 hours before
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: 0E0, Moriarty Muni, runway 08/26, 7,702 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, unknown; last flight review October 24, 2024; seat: front; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,490 total, 148 in this make and model, 873 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 68 °F
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observed at: 0E0

## 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 20250731011409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250731011409A), Jul 31, 2025: Champion 7FC, Moriarty, NM, Substantial damage. On July 31, 2025, at around 0830 MST, a Champion 7FC executed a landing at Moriarty Municipal Airport while on a personal flight performing touch and go…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 9, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200718. 3.9 MB in all.

- Record of conversation - pilot (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19273586&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20-%20Pilot-Rel.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19264389&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 4 photos, 481 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19264804&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%20WPR25LA242-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.

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