Aeronca 7AC accident near Stone Mountain, Georgia, May 30, 1986
On May 30, 1986, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N3675E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stone Mountain, Georgia (Stone Mountain airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- May 30, 1986
- Place
- Stone Mountain, Georgia · Stone Mountain
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N3675E · registry record · serial AC-6985
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A BFR FLT, THE OWNER/PLT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE THE PLT-IN-COMMAND. DRG DEPARTURE, HE TOOK OFF ON RWY 35 WITH A X-WIND FROM THE LEFT. ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) & A WITNESS, THE TAKEOFF WAS NORMAL UNTIL SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THEN THE ACFT PITCHED UP. THE PLT THOUGHT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED A GUST WHICH 'SHOVED' THE ACFT TO THE RIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT STALLED & IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 125 FT TO THE RIGHT OF THE RWY. THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A NOSE DOWN, RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE. THE FRONT SEAT PLT WAS SECURED WITH A SHOULDER HARNESS; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO SHOULDER HARNESS FOR THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT. HE RECEIVED A SERIOUS HEAD INJURY WHEN HIS HEAD HIT THE FRONT SEAT.
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: 469 hours in all; 257 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 430 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,513 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 2, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 pm from PDK, 10 miles away
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.
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.