Aeronca 11AC accident near Frankenmuth, Michigan, July 3, 2016
On July 3, 2016 at about 9:22 pm local time, a 1946 Aeronca 11AC, registered N86078, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Frankenmuth, Michigan (William Zehnder Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control for undetermined reasons based on available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2016 · about 9:22 pm local time
- Place
- Frankenmuth, Michigan · William Zehnder Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11AC NO SERIES, built 1946 · all 11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N86078 · no longer on the register · serial 11AC-501
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger were on a local pleasure flight in a single-engine airplane. A witness reported that the pilot was doing touch-and-go landings. The wind was calm, so the pilot departed to the east and then returned to land to the west. The witness did not see the crash but heard the impact and then saw smoke. The airplane impacted a cornfield about 1/4 mile east of the airport. A postcrash fire consumed or thermally damaged the majority of the airplane. The fire and impact damage limited the scope of the examination; however, no evidence of pre-impact abnormalities was noted with the engine or airframe. The pilot's autopsy and toxicology testing found no evidence of any medical condition or medication use that would have impaired his performance, and he had favorable weather conditions for the flight. The accident was consistent with the pilot's loss of control for undetermined reasons.
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 in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Unknown or undetermined during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 553.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 2016
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 66G Frankenmuth MI
- Destination: 66G Frankenmuth MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on May 16, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Site Overview | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Misc Records - Excerpts | PDF, 20 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Personal Electronic Device Factual Report | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.