Aeronca 7CCM accident near Justin, Texas, August 14, 2010
On August 14, 2010 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 7CCM, registered N85065, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Justin, Texas (Prop Wash airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's delay in transferring fuel from the gravity feed wing tanks to the main tank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2010 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Justin, Texas · Prop Wash · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7CCM · all 7CCMs on the register
- Registration
- N85065 · registry record · serial 7AC-3792
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made a full-stop landing, taxied back, and took off. During the climb out, the engine "sputtered" and lost power. The pilot made a forced landing on a grass field. During the landing, the right main landing gear fractured aft and collapsed, and the right wing and lift strut were bent. When asked how this accident could have been prevented, the pilot said he should have transferred fuel from the gravity feed wing tanks to the main tank sooner. An examination of the airplane's engine and other systems revealed no anomalies.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Ground collision during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,115 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 6,050 as pilot in command; 4,100 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 24, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,745 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 2010; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A75-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 52F Justin TX at 3:25 pm
- Destination: 52F Roanoke TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,000 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from AFW, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.