Aeronca 7EC accident near O'Neill, Nebraska, April 26, 1991
On April 26, 1991 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 7EC, registered N4652E, was substantially damaged in an accident near O'Neill, Nebraska. 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S DISREGARDING THE WEATHER BRIEFING AND HIS INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1991 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- O'Neill, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7EC · all 7ECs on the register
- Registration
- N4652E · registry record · serial 7EC-3
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PERFORMED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT DUE TO DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED AN IRRIGATION DITCH AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT RECEIVED A PREFLIGHT BRIEFING IN WHICH VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 362 hours in all; 298 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 312 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,892 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 14, 1990; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GPZ Grand Rapids MN at 11:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from OFK, 70 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.