Aeronca 7BCM accident near Georgiana, Alabama, May 3, 1987
On May 3, 1987 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 7BCM, registered N10521, was destroyed in an accident near Georgiana, Alabama (Mcgowin airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 3, 1987 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Georgiana, Alabama · Mcgowin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7BCM · all 7BCMs on the register
- Registration
- N10521 · no longer on the register · serial 7BCM-257
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS & PAX OF 2 ACFT WERE RETURNING FROM AN ANNUAL PLEASURE TRIP. NEITHER ACFT HAD A GOOD COMM RADIO. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THEY ENCTRD FOG. THEY FLEW ABOVE THE WX UNTIL THEY WERE NEAR THEIR 1ST REFUELING STOP (GREENVILLE, AL). BOTH PLTS DSCNDD BENEATH THE OVERCAST THRU BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS TO FIND THE ARPT. ONE PLT MADE HIS WAY TO GREENVILLE UNDER A VARIABLE CEILING; HOWEVER, THE OTHER ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE. LATER, WRECKAGE OF N10521 WAS FND ABT 1.5 MI NORTH OF MCGOWIN AIRSTRIP. THE STRIP WAS ABOUT 11 MI SOUTH OF THE PLANNED REFUELING STOP. AN EXAM REVEALED THE ACFT HAD HIT TREES WHILE FLYING ALONG A HIWAY & PWR LINE TOWARD THE AIRSTRIP. NO PREIMPACT MECH PROBLEM WAS FND. THE AIRSTRIP OWNER HAD SEEN AN ACFT MATCHING THE DESCRIPTION OF N10521 ON A NORTHERLY HDG NEAR THE TIME OF THE ACDNT. HE ESTD THE WX WAS 800 TO 900 FT OVC, VIS 2 MI WITH FOG & INTMT LGT RAIN. TESTS OF THE PLT'S BLOOD WERE MADE AT 2 LABS; 1 SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.05%;THE OTHER SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.032%. TESTS OF THE PLT'S VITREOUS HUMOR & URINE BOTH SHOWED ALCOHOL LVLS OF 0.08%.
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: 400 hours in all; 321 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 348 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 865 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 1986; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 81J Destin FL at 12:51 pm
- Destination: M10 Columbia TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.