Aeronca 7BCM accident near Kenosha, Wisconsin, June 25, 1988
On June 25, 1988 at about 1:12 am local time, a Aeronca 7BCM, registered N84405, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kenosha, Wisconsin. 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
- June 25, 1988 · about 1:12 am local time
- Place
- Kenosha, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7BCM · all 7BCMs on the register
- Registration
- N84405 · registry record · serial 3100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PICKING UP THE AIRCRAFT AFTER BEING SERVICED WHEN APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES AFTER TAKING OFF THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED SOME TREES AT THE EDGE OF THE FIELD AND SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT DURING THE SERVICING OF THE AIRCRAFT A NEW FUEL CAP WAS INSTALLED. THE NEW FUEL CAP WAS NOT VENTED AND THE MECHANIC WHO INSTALLED IT FAILED TO FIND OUT IF IT NEEDED TO BE. SERVICE BULLETIN #47 FROM THE CHAMPION AIRCRAFT CORP. DATED 11-8-60 STATES THAT ALL CHAMPION AND AERONCA AIRCRAFT MODELS 11AC, 11BC, 11CC, 7AC, 7BCM, 7CCM, 7DC, AND 7EC MUST HAVE VENTED FUEL CAPS. IT ALSO STATES IF THE CAPS ARE NOT VENTED THEY MUST BE PRIOR TO INSTALLATION, OTHERWISE PROPER VENTING WILL NOT OCCUR.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,175 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 2,702 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,503 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y78 Franklin WI
- Destination: UGN Waukegan IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.