Aeronca S11AC accident near Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, August 10, 2014
On August 10, 2014 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1947 Aeronca S11AC, registered N4240E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Boulder Junction, Wisconsin (Boulder Junction Payzer Airpor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper runway selection, which resulted in a tailwind landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2014 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder Junction, Wisconsin · Boulder Junction Payzer Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca S11AC, built 1947 · all S11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N4240E · no longer on the register · serial 11AC-S97
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness reported observing the tailwheel-equipped airplane land; the airplane landed on runway 5. At the beginning of the landing roll, the airplane veered off the right side of the runway and impacted trees. At the time of the accident, the wind was from the south-southwest at 3 knots with gusts to 10 knots; therefore, a gusting tailwind prevailed for the landing runway at the time of the accident. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Other weather encounter during approach
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 300 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,538 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ralph MI
- Destination: BDJ Boulder Junction WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 3,170 ft by 165 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from KD25, 10 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 CEN14LA431.