Aeronca 7AC accident near Mccarthy, Alaska, July 24, 2011
On July 24, 2011 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N85194, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Mccarthy, Alaska (Mccarthy airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The separation of the right main landing gear oleo strut assembly, resulting in the collapse of the main landing gear during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2011 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mccarthy, Alaska · Mccarthy · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N85194 · registry record · serial 7AC-3927
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tundra-tire-equipped airplane reported that, while departing from a remote gravel bar, he heard a "clunk" just after takeoff. While en route to his destination airport, he noticed that the right main landing gear assembly had partially separated from the airplane. During the subsequent landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing struck the ground, sustaining substantial damage. The pilot's postaccident inspection revealed a separated oleo shock absorber strut. He noted that, other than the separated main landing gear oleo strut, there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,074 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 2011; 20 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C-90 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mccarthy AK at 3:45 pm
- Destination: 15Z Mccarthy AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.