Aeronca 7BCM accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, August 30, 2000
On August 30, 2000 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 7BCM, registered N66581, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico (Santa Fe Municipal airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Unsuitable terrain for a forced landing. Factors were a complete loss of power due to a stuck needle valve in the carburetor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2000 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · Santa Fe Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7BCM · all 7BCMs on the register
- Registration
- N66581 · registry record · serial 47-943
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During approach to land at the completion of a cross-country flight, the pilot attempted to apply power. The engine failed to respond and an emergency landing was conducted on soft, unsuitable terrain. During the landing, the main landing gear separated, the underside of the fuselage was buckled and the wing attach points were deformed near the wing root from damage to the forward attachments. Examination of the engine provided evidence that the needle valve in the carburetor stuck in the closed position for unknown reasons.
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: 6,500 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 6,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2000; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DUX Dumas TX at 6:00 pm
- Destination: SAF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 8,324 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from SAF, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 DEN00LA159.