Aeronca 11AC accident near Marshall, Michigan, September 5, 2009
On September 5, 2009 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Aeronca 11AC, registered N3383E, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Marshall, Michigan. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the main landing gear attach point.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2009 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Marshall, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11AC · all 11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N3383E · registry record · serial 11AC-1709
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after liftoff he heard a "thump" and someone on the ground radioed him saying that his right landing gear looked "crooked." The pilot stated that because his aircraft battery was low he could not transmit over the radio. He decided to make an off-airport landing in a field instead of trying to land at the busy airport that he had just departed. The right main landing gear collapsed during the landing and the airplane nosed over. Inspection of the airplane revealed the right main landing gear oleo strut attachment fitting failed, allowing the landing gear to collapse. The last annual inspection on the airplane was dated August 7, 2000. The pilot reported that an annual inspection may have detected the failure.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Failure
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 564 hours in all; 219 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 23, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,749 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 2000; 31.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A-65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Marshall MI at 5:00 pm
- Destination: Marshall MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from AZO, 29 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.
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.