Aeronca 11BC accident near Colfax, Wisconsin, September 7, 2003
On September 7, 2003 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Aeronca 11BC, registered N4103E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colfax, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering which resulted in an inadvertent stall. A factor associated with the accident was the low altitude at which the pilot was maneuvering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2003 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Colfax, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11BC · all 11BCs on the register
- Registration
- N4103E · no longer on the register · serial 11CC-12
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted the terrain in a 50-degree nose down attitude following a loss of control while maneuvering. Witness reported seeing the airplane flying at low altitudes in the area of the accident. One witness reported the engine sounded fine. Another witness reported hearing changes in engine speed as the airplane banked and turned left and right. A third witness, 13 miles away from the accident site, reported seeing the airplane and hearing the engine being turned off and then restarted. This witness stated this occurred at least 3 times. This witness stated: " The plane was approximately 1,000 feet up. When it shut its engines [engine] off it would loose [lose] altitude gradually & then restart. It did not sound as if it were having trouble restarting each time. There was no sputtering or coughing. It sounded like good 'clean' shut offs & restarts." The wreckage was located at 1530 when the land owner returned home. Post accident inspection failed to reveal any failure/malfunction of the airframe, control systems, or engine that would have resulted in the loss of control.
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
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Colfax WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from EAU, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.