Aeronca 7AC accident near Pine Valley Tow, Wisconsin, July 19, 1982
On July 19, 1982 at about 1:04 am local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N85580, was destroyed in an accident near Pine Valley Tow, Wisconsin (Neilsville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1982 · about 1:04 am local time
- Place
- Pine Valley Tow, Wisconsin · Neilsville
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N85580 · no longer on the register · serial 7AC4322
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT A LOW ALTITUDE TO A POINT 1/4 MI NE OF THE TOWN OVER A WOODED AREA & BEGAN A TURN TO THE LEFT. DURING THE TURN THE BANK CONTINUED TO INCREASE & THEN THE NOSE DROPPED & THE ACFT DESCENDED STEEPLY INTO THE TREES. THE POLICE REPORTED THAT WHILE THEY WERE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE THEY OBSERVED NUMEROUS DEER IN THE WOODS. 300 FT NORTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS AN OPEN FIELD.
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: 199 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 176 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,850 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 81C Pine Valley Tow WI at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 81C Pine Valley Tow WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 169°F (76°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from AUW, 20 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.