Aeronca 7AC accident near Shinnston, West Virginia, June 6, 1983
On June 6, 1983, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N3511E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shinnston, West Virginia (Shinnston airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 1983
- Place
- Shinnston, West Virginia · Shinnston · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N3511E · registry record · serial 6882
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WAS PROVIDING TAKEOFF & LANDING INSTRUCTIONS TO HIS SON, A STUDENT PLT. AFTER MAKING A TAKEOFF & LANDING, THEY TOOK OFF AGAIN ON RWY 22. AT LIFT-OFF, THE CFI NOTICED A CESSNA 180 BEING TAXIED FOR TAKEOFF. AT APRX 300 FT AGL, THEY MADE A RIGHT TURN-AROUND, SO AS TO PASS OVER THE ARPT AT MIDFIELD TO KEEP THE CESSNA 180 IN SITE. THE CESSNA 180 REMAINED IN THE RUN-UP AREA, SO THE STUDENT TURNED TO PARALLEL A RIDGE LINE THAT ANGLED TOWARD THE RWY CENTERLINE & EXTENDED BEYOND THE APPROACH END OF RWY 22. WHILE THE CFI WAS LOOKING OVER HIS LEFT SHOULDER TO MONITOR THE POSITION OF THE CESSNA, HE ASKED THE STUDENT TO TURN TO THE RIGHT, BACK TO THE RWY. THIS TURN WAS BACK TOWARD THE RIDGE LINE WHICH ROSE 150 TO 200 FT ABOVE THEIR ALTITUDE. WHEN THE CFI REALIZED THE PROXIMITY OF THE HILL, HE TOOK CONTROL TO PREVENT THE STUDENT FROM STALLING THE ACFT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR OVER TREES. THE ACFT STRUCK BRANCHES & BLACKBERRY BUSHES, THEN AFTER TOUCHDOWN, COLLIDED WITH A TREE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,985 hours in all; 277 in this make and model; 177 in the last 90 days; 12,761 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,468 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 27, 1982; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-170-3E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL83LA217.