Aeronca 7AC accident near Ellsworth, NE
On March 20, 2016, an Aeronca 7AC (airplane) was involved in an accident near Ellsworth, NE. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 20, 2016
- Place
- Ellsworth, NE
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 42.173°N, 102.209°W
- NTSB ID
- 20160322X22134
Official records · CEN16FA130
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn March 20, 2016, about 1110 mountain daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC airplane, N84580, impacted terrain near Ellsworth, Nebraska. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, which departed without a flight plan from Alliance Municipal Airport (AIA), Alliance, Nebraska. At 1000, an airport surveillance camera captured the airplane departing from AIA. About 1100, the pilot's brother observed the airplane maneuvering near his home, which was in a rural area about 31 miles northeast of AIA. After concerned family members reported the pilot missing, the accident site was subsequently located on March 22, 2016, about 4 miles southwest of the pilot's brother's home. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 68, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. The pilot was last issued a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate on July 7, 2005. The pilot held a valid driver's license. The Aeronca 7AC is defined by the FAA as a light sport aircraft (LSA). Pilots flying LSAs are only required to possess a valid driver's license and comply with 14 CFR 61.53(b), which states that no person may act "as pilot in command, or in any other capacity as a required pilot flight crewmember, while that person knows or has reason to know of any medical condition that would make the per
Probable cause
The pilot's impairment due to carbon monoxide poisoning from a known cracked engine exhaust muffler, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to continue flying the airplane without properly repairing the exhaust muffler.
More accidents in NE
- Piper PA-32R-300, Oct 16, 1993
- Piper PA-31, Apr 14, 1986
- Raytheon Aircraft Company 58, Jan 11, 2013
- Cessna 210H, Jan 19, 1986
- Beech C35, Jun 17, 1984
Browse: Nebraska · Aeronca aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
