Aeronca 7BCM accident near San Antonio, Texas, October 5, 2022
On October 5, 2022 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1947 Aeronca 7BCM, registered N119TX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near San Antonio, Texas (Bulverde Airpark airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s failure to attain/maintain aircraft control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 2022 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · Bulverde Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7BCM, built 1947 · all 7BCMs on the register
- Registration
- N119TX · registry record · serial 7BCM-343
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was demonstrating a three-point landing during an instructional flight when the airplane bounced on the runway and ground looped. The instructor recovered the airplane from the ground loop as it departed the runway surface and then added engine power to try to avoid impact with a wall that was part of the runway’s bridge over a creek. The airplane impacted the wall and fell into the creek. The airplane sustained substantial damage that included damage to the airplane fuselage and engine mount. The flight instructor stated that there was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
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)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,850 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 5, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2020
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,849 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 2,083 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1TT8 Bulverde TX at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 1TT8 Bulverde TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,890 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 am from SAT, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on January 6, 2023. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Record - FAA 1 of 2 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Record - FAA 2 of 2 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Log | PDF, 1 page | 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.