Aeronca 7EC accident near Slatington, Pennsylvania, July 9, 1992
On July 9, 1992 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 7EC, registered N7578B, was destroyed in an accident near Slatington, Pennsylvania (Slatington Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT FOR RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1992 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Slatington, Pennsylvania · Slatington Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7EC · all 7ECs on the register
- Registration
- N7578B · registry record · serial 77
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESS REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE ATTAINED CLIMB ANGLE AND THEN PITCHED UP UPON REACHING TREE TOP LEVEL. THE AIRPLANE'S PITCH ATTITUDE CONTINUED TO INCREASE UNTIL A STALL OCCURRED AT AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 50 TO 75 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE DROPPED AND CONTACTED THE GROUND, ABOUT 40 FEET RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE, IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY AIRPLANE ANOMALIES. THE ENGINE PRIMER SHAFT WAS FOUND SHEARED IN THE FULL OUT POSITION LYING ON THE CEILING OF THE AIRPLANE. OTHER DEBRIS, INCLUDING A PEN, SMALL WRENCH, AND WINDOW CLEANING SOLUTION, WERE ALSO FOUND ON THE AIRPLANE'S CEILING ABOVE THE PILOT'S 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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,856 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 14,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 1992; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental 12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,520 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from ABE, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.