Champion AERONCA 7AC accident near Estherwood, Louisiana, April 19, 2025
On April 19, 2025 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1946 Champion AERONCA 7AC, registered N83871, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Estherwood, Louisiana (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-certificated pilot’s failure to maintain altitude while maneuvering at low altitude that resulted in a descent and impact into terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2025 · about 8:00 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Estherwood, Louisiana · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion AERONCA 7AC, built 1946 · all AERONCA 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N83871 · registry record · serial 7AC-2552
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-certificated pilot stated that he departed from a local airport to drop candy for family members on his private airstrip. As he approached the airstrip, he descended to 200 ft agl and then descended further to drop the candy. The pilot said he got distracted as he looked over his left shoulder during the attempted candy drop, and the airplane impacted the terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot stated there was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane that would have precluded normal airplane 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
Pilot
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A&C65 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,600 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 3:30 pm from 3R7, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 21, 2025. 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, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N83871 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Champion AERONCA 7 134 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Champion 1,604 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental A&C65 SERIES · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Louisiana 1,274 since 1982 · 188 in the last ten years
- Louisiana 3,727 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN25LA161.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.