Aeronca 7AC accident near Embarrass, Minnesota, April 8, 2000
On April 8, 2000 at about 6:43 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N84424, was destroyed in an accident near Embarrass, Minnesota. 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 inadvertent stall/spin the pilot encountered. A factor was the wind gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2000 · about 6:43 pm local time
- Place
- Embarrass, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N84424 · no longer on the register · serial 3122
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed on impact with terrain following an in-flight loss of control on initial climb. A post accident fire occurred. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane climbed northeast on a crosswind departure. A witness said that he saw '...nothing out of the...nothing unordinary at all. It ah...he took off, and the airplane was performing very well and...and ah...as he started to...climb, the aircraft ah...a strong wind come in from the...from the rear of the aircraft, and it just...the airplane just quit flying. It just...the sheer [sic]...the wind sheer [sic] just...it was so strong that...it was ah...30 miles an hour at least, you know.' The airplane was observed about 100 to 200 feet above ground level when it encountered the wind shear and it was observed to spiral down. The wind was 260 degrees at 15 knots gusts to 19 knots. An on-scene investigation revealed that an engine, not listed in its aircraft specification, was installed and a composite propeller was installed. No further pre-impact anomalies were found. The engine produced a thumb compression at all cylinders. Chordwise scratches and leading edge nicks were found on a propeller blade. Engine and control continuity was found.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: Tower MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 15 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from EVM, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.