Aeronca 11AC accident near Chillicothe, Ohio, December 28, 1989
On December 28, 1989 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Aeronca 11AC, registered N3647E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chillicothe, Ohio (Ross Country airport). It was an instructional 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
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE STUDENT PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A LANDING ON A SLICK RUNWAY, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INABILITY TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE ICY/SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, SNOW COVERED TERRAIN BESIDE THE RUNWAY, AND THE STUDENT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN WINTER OPERATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1989 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Chillicothe, Ohio · Ross Country · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11AC · all 11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N3647E · no longer on the register · serial 11AC-1835
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE DEPARTED THE ARPT, THE WX & RWY CONDITIONS WERE FAIR TO GOOD. HE NOTED THAT ALTHOUGH THE WEATHER WAS COLD, IT WAS SUNNY & THE COMPACTED SNOW ON THE RUNWAY WAS MELTING. THE STUDENT PRACTICED AIRWORK IN THE LOCAL AREA FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THEN RETURNED TO THE ARPT, INTENDING TO PRACTICE TAKEOFFS & LANDINGS. HE REPORTED THAT HIS LANDING WAS NORMAL, BUT AS THE ACFT DECELERATED ON THE RUNWAY, IT ENCOUNTERED AN ICY AREA & HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY & NOSED OVER ON SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. THE PLT STATED THAT THE SKY HAD CLOUDED OVER WHILE HE WAS AWAY FROM THE ARPT. WHEN HE RETURNED, THE PREVIOUSLY MELTED SNOW ON THE RUNWAY HAD 'GLAZED OVER' & WAS SLICK.
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: student
- Flight time: 24 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,217 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 1989; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RZT at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,398 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from CMH, 34 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.