Aeronca 7AC accident near Northome, Minnesota, March 13, 1983
On March 13, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N8949R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Northome, Minnesota (Northome airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time · cases in 1983
- Place
- Northome, Minnesota · Northome · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N8949R · registry record · serial 21101N2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK WHILE LANDING ON THE AIRPORT AT NORTHOME, MN. THERE WAS NO UNICOM AT NORTHOME AND NOTAMS ADVISED THE RUNWAY WAS CLOSED. THE WEATHER WAS VMC BUT OVERCAST WITH FREEZING RAIN. THE PILOT REPORTED HE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING BECAUSE OF A BUILD-UP OF ICE ON THE WINDSHIELD BUT HAD NOT PLANNED TO LAND AT THE AIPORT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 914 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 819 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: INL Int'L Falls MN at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 434 Crookston MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; not recorded at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N8949R on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ) 2,355 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Aeronca 3,953 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 27,311 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Northome Municipal · nearest airport
- Falls Intl/Einarson Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Minnesota 1,544 since 1982 · 209 in the last ten years
- Minnesota 6,939 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI83LA136.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.