Aeronca 7AC accident near Beverly, Massachusetts, April 15, 1994
On April 15, 1994 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N84409, was destroyed in an accident near Beverly, Massachusetts (Beverly Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN AERODYNAMIC STALL AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1994 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Beverly, Massachusetts · Beverly Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N84409 · no longer on the register · serial 3103
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS TAXIING ON TAXIWAY BRAVO WHEN HE GOT A CRAMP IN HIS RIGHT LEG. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED RIGHT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, SO HE DECIDED TO TAKEOFF ON THE TAXIWAY TO AVOID AN OVERRUN OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER HE WAS AIRBORNE HE RETURNED FOR LANDING ON SAME TAXIWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS TOO HIGH, SO HE TRIED TO GO-AROUND BUT THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND IMPACTED THE TREES.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,023 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 869 as pilot in command; 178 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,228 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 20, 1993; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BVY at 9:45 pm
- Destination: BVY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from BVY, 1 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.