Aeronca 7AC accident near Limon, Colorado, July 5, 2004
On July 5, 2004 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N1480E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Limon, Colorado. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation. A contributing factor was the soft terrain in the takeoff area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2004 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Limon, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N1480E · registry record · serial 7AC-5403
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane took off but was unable to climb sufficiently to avoid rising terrain. It also lost altitude in a turn, and the pilot felt he would be unable to return to the airport. He elected to land in a wheat field. The airplane sustained no damage. The pilot then decided to take off but without the passenger on board. After determining a suitable path to follow, a soft-field takeoff procedure was utilized. During the takeoff roll, the airplane contacted soft dirt and nosed over onto its back.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,030 hours in all; 135 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 938 as pilot in command; 550 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 8, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,704 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 2004; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LIC Limon CO at 6:30 pm
- Destination: FTG Watkins CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from LIC, 2 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.