American Champion 7GCBC N342H

Summary

On 9 May 2025 at about 15:00 local time, a American Champion 7GCBC registered N342H was involved in an accident near Big Creek, Idaho, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

9 May 2025 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Big Creek, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Big Creek (U60)

Coordinates

45.1332, -115.3218

Aircraft

American Champion 7GCBC

Registration

N342H

Category

Airplane

Year built

1998

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Hamilton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR25FA153

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On May 9, 2025, about 0900 mountain daylight time, an American Champion Aircraft 7GCBC, N342H, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Big Creek, Idaho. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to a family member, the pilot was a hunter and had flown to many of the remote air strips around the area for pleasure. A witness located at the Big Creek airport (U60), Big Creek, Idaho, stated he observed the airplane land at the airport early that morning, and then heard the airplane take off to the north soon after. The witness did not observe the takeoff but did recall the engine sounded normal when the airplane departed. There were no known witnesses to the accident sequence. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted heavily wooded sloping mountainous terrain about 2,000 ft north of the departure end of runway 01. The airplane came to rest upright on a heading of about 200° magnetic at an elevation of 5,538 ft. mean sea level (msl). The debris path was oriented along a heading of about 010° magnetic and was about 90 ft in length. The first identifiable point of contact (FIPC) was a series of damaged trees, about 50 ft in height, that had damaged limbs near the top of the trees. The right-wing tip was observed about 10 ft north of the FIPC. Debris extended throughout the heavily wooded area to the main wreckage. Examination of the main wreckage revealed that both wings and empennage remained attached to the fuselage. The engine remained attached to the engine mount, however, was displaced downward about 15°. The instrument panel was impact damaged and separated from the fuselage structure. The right main landing gear was separated from the fuselage and was located within the debris path. All major structural components of the airplane were located throughout the wreckage debris path. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.