Aeronca 11AC accident near Brighton, Michigan, July 29, 2003
On July 29, 2003 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Aeronca 11AC, registered N86233, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brighton, Michigan (Brighton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's directional control not possible resulting from the rudder control assembly separation during the landing. A factor was the construction vehicle that the airplane impacted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2003 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Brighton, Michigan · Brighton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11AC · all 11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N86233 · no longer on the register · serial 11AC-37
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The tailwheel airplane sustained substantial damage when it exited the right side of the runway and impacted a construction vehicle during a landing. The pilot stated, "Even with full left rudder there was no change in the airplanes path in the turn to the right." The wind was calm. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left hand rudder cable forward attach point had separated from the torque tube, rendering the left hand rudder cable inoperative.
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: 352 hours in all; 127 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 352 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 29, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,069 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 3,732 as pilot in command; 1,894 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 14, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,670 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2002; 1.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 45G Brighton MI at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,150 ft by 24 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from OZW, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.