Aeronca 11AC accident near San Antonio, Florida, December 5, 2003
On December 5, 2003 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Aeronca 11AC, registered N9085F, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Antonio, Florida (Private Grass Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance above objects on approach, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees and the subsequent collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 5, 2003 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Florida · Private Grass Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11AC · all 11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N9085F · no longer on the register · serial 11AC-717
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The passenger stated the student pilot did one go-around at the airstrip, then returned for landing. The passenger stated that, during final approach, the airplane sank into the trees, then rotated to the left and collided nose-down into the creek. Examination revealed no evidence of flight control or engine malfunction. Examination revealed the seat anchors required for the airplane per Airworthiness Directive (AD) 49-15-01 were absent. A maintenance logbook entry dated May 25, 1995, was the most recent known record of compliance with AD 49-15-01. Maintenance records revealed the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on December 1, 2000.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 142 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,450 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2000; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT San Antonio FL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: PVT San Antonio FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KBKV, 11 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.
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.