Aeronca 7AC accident near Westerly, Rhode Island, August 5, 2007
On August 5, 2007 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N65HM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Westerly, Rhode Island (Westerly State 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 pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing which resulted in the overload failure of the right main landing gear. The overload failure of the right main landing gear was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2007 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Westerly, Rhode Island · Westerly State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N65HM · no longer on the register · serial 7AC-3708
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was damaged during an attempted aborted landing. The pilot reported that he was returning from a local flight and performed a successful landing on runway 07. The pilot reported that he took off again and remained in the traffic pattern and attempted a second landing. During the landing, he felt the left wing suddenly lift up due to the crosswind. The airplane yawed to the left and the pilot applied full power with the intention of performing a go-around. The airplane settled back to the ground, collapsing the right main landing gear. The airplane's wing and propeller then struck the ground. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane during the flight. The recorded winds at an airport 11 nautical miles west of the accident airport were 340 degrees at 6 knots.
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: 400 hours in all; 14 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WST Westerly RI
- Destination: WST Westerly RI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 4,010 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 am from GON
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.
Other NTSB records under N65HM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.