Aeronca Aircraft Corporation 7AC accident near Bagley, Minnesota, March 15, 2009
On March 15, 2009 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Aeronca Aircraft Corporation 7AC, registered N1831E, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Bagley, Minnesota (Jackson Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delayed aborted takeoff, which resulted in the ski-equipped airplane running aground and striking trees. Contributing to the accident was the slush layer that had formed since the previous landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2009 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bagley, Minnesota · Jackson Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca Aircraft Corporation 7AC
- Registration
- N1831E · registry record · serial 7AC5399
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed the ski-equipped airplane on the snow-covered frozen lake earlier in the day. After several hours of ice fishing, he taxied the airplane to the east side of the lake for departure. The lake's longest axis (east/west) was approximately 2,000 feet long. The pilot reported that the lake's orientation, terrain gradient, shoreline trees, and prevailing winds favored a departure to the west. During the takeoff run, the airplane accelerated slower than normal due to a slush layer that had formed since the previous landing. The pilot reported that the tail became airborne about halfway across the lake, but he aborted the takeoff when the airplane had not attained flying airspeed after crossing 3/4 of the lake. The airplane was unable to stop before running aground and impacting several trees, substantially damaging the fuselage and both wings.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Effect on equipment
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Decision related to condition
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 616 hours in all; 573 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 564 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 16, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,372 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Bagley MN at 10:00 pm
- Destination: 96M Bemidji MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 18 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KFSE, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 CEN09CA210.