Aeronca 7AC accident near Allegan, Michigan, November 30, 1984
On November 30, 1984 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N84360, was substantially damaged in an accident near Allegan, Michigan. 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 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
- November 30, 1984 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Allegan, Michigan · 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
- N84360 · registry record · serial 7AC 3054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED HE LOST POWER ON TAKEOFF, BUT ELECTED TO TAKEOFF RATHER THAN ABORT. HE CLEARED WIRES BUT DECIDED HE COULD NOT CLEAR TREES & MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A CORN FIELD. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL CONTROL ROD COTTER PIN WAS SEPARATED & THE FUEL VALVE APPEARED TO BE ABOUT HALF ON. ALSO, ONE OF THE SPARK PLUG WIRES WAS FOUND TO BE LOOSE. THE ACFT WAS SERVICED WITH AUTOMOTIVE FUEL WITHOUT AN APPROVED STC FOR THIS FUEL.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,110 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 1,185 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30,356 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 1984; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 35D Allegan MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from GRR, 30 miles away
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.
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.