Aeronca 15AC accident near St Bonifacius, Minnesota, August 6, 1987
On August 6, 1987 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Aeronca 15AC, registered N1135H, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Bonifacius, Minnesota. It was a ferry 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1987 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- St Bonifacius, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 15AC · all 15ACs on the register
- Registration
- N1135H · registry record · serial 15AC-151
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD JUST PURCHASED THE ACFT & HAD OBTAINED A FERRY PERMIT TO FLY IT TO ANOTHER ARPT. HE REACHED THE VICINITY OF THE DESTN & CALLED THE TOWER, BUT DID NOT SEE THE ARPT. APRX 15 MIN LATER, WHEN HE WAS SURE HE HAD PASSED THE ARPT, HE MADE A 180 DEG TURN TO START BACK. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL. HE INITIATED AN EMERG LANDING ON A ROAD, BUT A TRACTOR WAS DRIVEN ONTO THE ROADWAY AHEAD, SO HE MANEUVERED TO LAND IN A FIELD. WITH VERY LITTLE ALT TO MANEUVER, HE SAW A POWER LINE AHEAD & TRIED TO CROSS UNDER IT. HOWEVER, THE TAIL OF THE ACFT CONTACTED THE LOWEST CABLE, THEN THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN & IMPACTED THE GROUND.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 965 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 877 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MFI Marshfield WI at 6:30 pm
- Destination: FCM Minneapolis MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 pm from FCM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI87LA189.