Aeronca 7AC accident near Burnips, Michigan, October 22, 1983
On October 22, 1983 at about 10:30 am local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N2172E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burnips, Michigan. 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 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
- October 22, 1983 · about 10:30 am local time
- Place
- Burnips, Michigan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N2172E · registry record · serial 7AC-5743
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
REPORTEDLY, THE PLT HAD CONSUMED 4 BEERS AFTER 2200 EDT, WHILE AT THE BOSTWICK LAKE INN, THEN CONSUMED ANOTHER BEER AFTER HE LEFT THE INN. AT APRX 0330 EDT, HE & A PASSENGER TOOK OFF FROM AN UNLIT ARPT. THE PLT STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, HE BECAME DISORIENTED & WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE ARPT. HE CONTINUED FLYING UNTIL APRX 0630 EDT, WHEN HE DECIDED TO LAND IN A FIELD DUE TO LOW FUEL QUANTITY. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED SOFT TERRAIN & THE RT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PLT DID NOT HAVE A VALID BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW & DID NOT MEET THE RECENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR FLYING WITH A PASSENGER AT NIGHT.
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: 205 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 28, 1980
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MI80 Greenville MI at 7:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.