Accident Summary
On October 7, 2024, at approximately 1240 central daylight time, a Champion 7EC airplane, registration N4337C, sustained substantial damage during an accident on Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth, Texas. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
According to the pilot’s family, the airplane was based at Flying Oaks Airport (2TE2) in Fort Worth. The purpose of the local flight was to depart from 2TE2, land at an unknown location for lunch, and then return to 2TE2.
Accident Details
Security video footage from private property on the shore of Eagle Mountain Lake showed the tailwheel-equipped airplane descending at about a 45° angle into the water. The airplane came to rest nose down in approximately 10 feet of water. The video indicated that the airplane was structurally intact before the water impact.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The wreckage was recovered from the lake and transported to a secure location for future examination. However, the right wing and part of the engine were not recovered.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The Champion 7EC, commonly 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 found no Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data associated with the accident flight.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records showed that the pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on December 15, 2008. FAA registration records indicated that the pilot purchased the airplane on November 5, 2004.