Aeronca CHAMPION 7AC accident near Newberry, Michigan, March 1, 1983
On March 1, 1983 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Aeronca CHAMPION 7AC, registered N84583, was destroyed in an accident near Newberry, Michigan (Luce County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- March 1, 1983 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Newberry, Michigan · Luce County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca CHAMPION 7AC CHAMPION 7
- Registration
- N84583 · registry record · serial 7AC 3286
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE POLE WHILE ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF ON SKIS. THE SNOW WAS WET, SPARSE AND STICKY AND THE TAKEOFF WAS BEING PERFORMED ON A TAXIWAY BECAUSE IT HAD MORE SNOW. THIS WAS A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WITH THE STUDENT AT THE CONTROLS. THE STUDENT ROTATED PREMATURELY, STALLED AND SETTLED BACK ON THE SNOW. THE TAKEOFF WAS CONTINUED AND AFTER A 2ND LIFT OFF THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN ENTERED A STALL. THE CFI TOOK OVER AND IN LOWERING THE NOSE TO GAIN AIRSPEED AND TURNING TO AVOID TREES THE WING HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN CARTWHEELED AND WAS DAMAGED BEYOND ECONOMICAL REPAIR.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,531 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 2,331 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,030 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 1982; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-75-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from ERY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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 N84583 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.