How many American Champion 7ECs are registered in the US?

207, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the American Champion 7EC built?

From about 1946 to 2015. Half of those registered today were built by 1957.

What engine does the American Champion 7EC have?

Most have the Continental C90 (72% of those registered); others have the Continental O-200, Lycoming O-235, Continental C85.

How many accidents has the American Champion 7EC had?

15 in the NTSB's database since 2010, 2 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of control on ground. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.

How many Airworthiness Directives does the American Champion 7EC have?

4 current ADs name the 7EC airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 27 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

American Champion 7EC

207 registered in the US, built from about 1946 to 2015, 2 seats, most with the Continental C90. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 207
Built: 1946 to 2015
Half built by: 1957
Seats: 2
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Continental C90

Engines installed

Continental C90149 aircraft (72%) · 5 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
Continental O-20037 aircraft (18%) · 8 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
Lycoming O-2354 aircraft (2%) · 10 ADs, 1 with a repeat action
Continental C854 aircraft (2%) · 4 ADs, 0 with a repeat action

From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.

Airworthiness Directives

4 current ADs name the 7EC airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 1 more were superseded. Its engines carry 27 more. 3 equipment ADs name the model.

The ones that come back

ADs with a repeat action: an inspection or replacement at an interval, for as long as the AD applies. These are the airworthiness costs an owner keeps paying.

2000-25-02 R1American Champion Aircraft Corporation 7, 8, and 11 Series AirplanesAirplaneSupersedes 2000-25-02Repeat actionJun 6, 2001

Every AD for the American Champion 7EC

Accident record

15 accidents since 2010, 2 fatal (2 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 1 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Loss of control on ground5
Aerodynamic stall/spin2
Nose over/nose down1
Landing gear collapse1
Powerplant sys/comp failure1
Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)1

Phase of flight

Landing7
Enroute4
Takeoff2
Initial climb2

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-06-25	Highgate, VT	Landing: Nose over/nose down	None	ERA26LA260
2026-04-30	Hollis, OK	Takeoff: Landing gear collapse	None	ANC26LA035
2024-10-07	Fort worth, TX	Enroute: Unknown or undetermined	Fatal	CEN25FA005
2023-06-21	Waunakee, WI	Initial climb: Powerplant sys/comp failure	Minor	CEN23LA250
2022-07-12	Valdez, AK	Enroute: Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)	Fatal	ANC22FA053
2020-11-29	Northhampton, NY	Landing: Loss of control on ground	None	ERA21LA060

From the NTSB's aviation accident database, refreshed monthly; accidents only, homebuilts left out. Counts, not rates: nobody publishes how many hours each model flies, and a training fleet flies far more than a private one. Look up any case by its number in the NTSB's CAROL.

What it costs to run

Per hour flown

Hours flown a yearhr/yrFuel burngal/hrTypical cruise; your POH and how you fly decide it.Fuel price$/galEngine overhaul$A quote from an engine shop.Hours to overhaulhrThe engine maker's published time between overhauls.Maintenance reserve$/hrEverything else that wears: tires, brakes, avionics, the unexpected.

Per year, flown or not

Insurance$/yrHangar or tiedown$/yrAnnual inspection$/yrLoan payments$/yrEverything else$/yrSubscriptions, database updates, the property tax some states charge.

Fuel: $0/hr
Engine reserve: $0/hr
A year: $0
All in, per hour: $0/hr

Filled in for a American Champion 7EC with the Continental C90: the engine maker's published overhaul time. Everything else is yours to fill in: insurance, hangar and overhaul prices vary too much by pilot, airport and shop for a default to mean anything. Nothing you type leaves this page.

Before you buy one

Run its N-number through the AD check: every AD that names its airframe and engine, as a checklist to take to the logbooks.
For each repeat-action AD (1 on the airframe), find the last compliance in the logbooks and when the next one is due.
Compare the engine's time since overhaul with its maker's published overhaul time, and look for the reason behind any long gap in flying.
3 equipment ADs name the 7EC (a muffler, a seat belt, a display): find out which of that equipment is installed.
Check the registration, the airworthiness certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
Work out the sales or use tax your state will charge with the aircraft tax calculator.

Questions

How many American Champion 7ECs are registered in the US?: 207, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the American Champion 7EC built?: From about 1946 to 2015. Half of those registered today were built by 1957.
What engine does the American Champion 7EC have?: Most have the Continental C90 (72% of those registered); others have the Continental O-200, Lycoming O-235, Continental C85.
How many accidents has the American Champion 7EC had?: 15 in the NTSB's database since 2010, 2 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of control on ground. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
How many Airworthiness Directives does the American Champion 7EC have?: 4 current ADs name the 7EC airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 27 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Figures from the FAA aircraft registry and the FAA's Airworthiness Directives, rebuilt daily. An AD listed for a model is one to read; whether it applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number, equipment and records.