Aeronca 7AC accident near Spring Hope, North Carolina, August 22, 2004
On August 22, 2004 at about 8:48 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N84399, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spring Hope, North Carolina (Spring Paths 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 binding of the right aileron control cable, which resulted in a loss in aileron control, and subsequent collision with trees and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 2004 · about 8:48 pm local time
- Place
- Spring Hope, North Carolina · Spring Paths Airport · 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
- N84399 · registry record · serial 7ac-3094
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the first flight was uneventful, and that he did not note any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. The pilot stated upon landing, he dropped off his friend, and another friend got in the airplane for another flight. The pilot stated, he "ground checked the aircraft thoroughly before departure" as well as checked the magnetos, carburetor heat, and flight controls during a run-up, and "everything was normal." The pilot stated that he took off with full power and upon reaching between 80-100 feet over the departure end of runway 17, the airplane flight controls began "feeling stiff," and the airplane began banking right. The pilot stated that excessive pressure on the flight controls was required to keep the wings level, and the airplane also began to lose altitude. The airplane collided with 40-foot trees 1/4 mile beyond and 50 feet to the right of the departure end of runway 17. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that both wings were crushed aft against the fuselage and were partially attached at the wing roots. The outboard four feet of the right wing was separated. The left wing strut was separated from the fuselage and wing and crushed. The left main landing gear was separated from the fuselage. Examination of the flight controls revealed full rudder travel was established by manually depressing both right and left rudder pedals and full elevator travel was established by manually moving the control stick forward and aft. When the control stick was manually moved left to right, a binding in the control travel was noted and a clicking sound was heard in the area behind the rear seat. During recovery of the airplane wreckage, it was observed that the right aileron control cable had come off the pulley and was wedged between the pulley and the bracket where the right aileron control cable leaves the fuselage leading into the right wing. The last annual inspection on the airplane was performed on October 1, 2003. Twelve hours had been accumulated on the airplane since the last annual inspection. The annual inspection checklist items, "cables" and "ailerons," were initialed by the authorized inspector (IA) as being performed.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,418 hours in all; 1,268 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 31, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,031 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2003; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 42NC Spring Hope NC at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 8:40 pm from LHZ, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N84399 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.