Aeronca 65 CA accident near Mount Vernon, Ohio, June 17, 2017
On June 17, 2017 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1941 Aeronca 65 CA, registered N33778, suffered minor damage in an accident during prior to flight near Mount Vernon, Ohio (Wynkoop Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper starting procedure before hand propping the engine, and his subsequent attempt to stop the moving airplane, which resulted in him being struck by the propeller.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2017 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mount Vernon, Ohio · Wynkoop Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 65 CA NO SERIES, built 1941 · all 65 CAs on the register
- Registration
- N33778 · no longer on the register · serial C13421
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot prepared to hand-prop the airplane, which was not equipped with an electrical starter, by tying the tail down with a nylon rope. The pilot then hand-propped the engine, which started at a high power setting. The airplane moved forward, breaking the rope, and continued to taxi in circles. The pilot and another individual tried to stop the airplane; however, the propeller struck the pilot, resulting in fatal injuries. The airplane eventually came to stop farther down the runway. Although the pilot attempted to secure the airplane by tying down the tail, the throttle was set at a high engine power setting, allowing the airplane's movement.
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
- AC/prop/rotor contact w person during prior to flight defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine starting › (general) › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 684 hours in all
- Last flight review: June 30, 2013
- Medical certificate: None (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 2016
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6G4 Mount Vernon OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 5:37 pm from 4I3, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 20, 2017. 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 | Police Report - Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Log - Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 2 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.