Aeronca 7DC accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, June 25, 1985
On June 25, 1985 at about 3:45 am local time, a Aeronca 7DC, registered N4353E, was destroyed in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska (Rustic Wilderness airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1985 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · Rustic Wilderness · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7DC · all 7DCs on the register
- Registration
- N4353E · registry record · serial 7DC-14
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN FLT, THE PLT SMELLED SMOKE. WITHIN 30 SEC, SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM AROUND THE FIREWALL & UNDER THE FLOORBOARDS. THE ACFT WAS OVER AN AIRSTRIP, SO THE PLT MADE A 360 DEG TURN & LANDED THERE. THE PLT SAID THAT HE IMMEDIATELY APPLIED BRAKES WHEN THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN 'CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER.' HE EXITED THE ACFT BEFORE IT WAS FULLY INVOLVED IN FLAMES. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 470 hours in all; 380 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 230 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TKA Talkeetna AK at 10:25 pm
- Destination: HOM Homer AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Observation at 7:30 pm from FAI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.