Aeronca 65-TAC accident near White Bear Lake, Minnesota, June 6, 1986
On June 6, 1986 at about 3:22 pm local time, a Aeronca 65-TAC, registered N36937, was destroyed in an accident near White Bear Lake, Minnesota. 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
- June 6, 1986 · about 3:22 pm local time
- Place
- White Bear Lake, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 65-TAC · all 65-TACs on the register
- Registration
- N36937 · no longer on the register · serial L2441TA
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT STALLED & CRASHED FOLLOWING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE PLT ABORTED THE 1ST TAKEOFF ATTEMPT. DURING THE 2ND TAKEOFF WITNESSES SAID THAT THE ACFT NOSE WAS NEVER LOWERED FROM A NOSE HIGH POSITION. AFTER THE ACC THE ELEVATOR TRIM WAS FOUND IN THE FULL NOSE DOWN POSITION. THE ACFT EST WT WAS AT THE MAX AND THE CG WAS AT THE AFT LIMIT. NO OTHER ABNORMALITIES WERE FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
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: 138 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,555 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 29, 1985; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A85-8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from STP, 11 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.