Aeronca 7AC accident near Valparaiso, Indiana, September 1, 2011
On September 1, 2011 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N83533, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Valparaiso, Indiana (Porter County Regional 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
The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the wear in the tailwheel assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2011 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Valparaiso, Indiana · Porter County Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N83533 · registry record · serial 7AC-2209
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing, the airplane exited the right side of the runway and struck a ditch, and the main landing gear collapsed. No defects were found with the airplane's brake system. Photographic evidence of skid marks showed that the tailwheel experienced shimmy during the landing, which continued to the side of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed some play in the tailwheel assembly due to wear, which allowed the tailwheel to shimmy during the landing.
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 control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,917 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,231 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 26, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6D6 Greenville MI at 11:00 am
- Destination: VPZ Valparaiso IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from VPZ
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.