Aeronca 7EC accident near Big Fork, Minnesota, February 7, 1987
On February 7, 1987 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 7EC, registered N4715E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Fork, Minnesota. 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
- February 7, 1987 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Big Fork, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7EC · all 7ECs on the register
- Registration
- N4715E · registry record · serial 7EC-59
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO TAKEOFF FROM A SNOW-COVERED LAKE, THE PLT FOUND A PLOWED AREA LEADING TO A FISH HOUSE. HE TAXIED TO THE AREA AND BEGAN TO TAKEOFF TOWARDS THE EAST. ON LIFT-OFF, THE LEFT AILERON STRUCK THE TOP OF THE FISH HOUSE. THE PLT LANDED ABOUT 50 YARDS BEYOND THE FISH HOUSE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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: 84 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 55 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,605 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 1986; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 85D Bigfork MN at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from INL, 48 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.