Aeronca 65-TAC accident near Fredricksburg, Texas, October 13, 2006
On October 13, 2006 at about 3:00 am local time, a Aeronca 65-TAC, registered N36687, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fredricksburg, Texas (Gillespie County airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to compensate for the existing wind conditions. A contributing factor was the prevailing crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 2006 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Fredricksburg, Texas · Gillespie County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 65-TAC · all 65-TACs on the register
- Registration
- N36687 · registry record · serial L1141TA
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 1,019-hour private pilot lost control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane after encountering a wind shift while landing on runway 14. The pilot reported that after checking the automated weather service station and windsock at the arrival airport, he attempted to land the single-engine airplane with a prevailing right crosswind on the dry 5,002-foot long asphalt runway. The pilot reported holding the control inputs to correct for the crosswind and suddenly encountering a wind shift from the left. The pilot indicated in the accident report (NTSB Form 6120.1), that after the main wheels touched down, the left wing lifted and the nose of the airplane turned left into the wind. The airplane then exited the left side of the 75-foot wide runway and initiated a ground loop on the wet grass adjacent to the runway. The fuselage of the airplane sustained structural damage and the pilot and passenger were not injured. The automated weather observation station on the field reported scattered skies with 10 miles visibility, with winds from 270 degrees at 6 knots.
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: 1,019 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 854 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,520.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Sonora TX at 8:30 pm
- Destination: T82 Fredricksburg TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,002 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 10:22 pm from T82
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 DFW07CA013.