Aeronca 7AC accident near Cameron, South Carolina, February 1, 2009
On February 1, 2009 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N3066E, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Cameron, South Carolina (None 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 2009 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cameron, South Carolina · None · 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
- N3066E · registry record · serial 7AC-6655
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had been flying for about 1 hour, and was at an altitude of 800 feet mean sea level, when the engine began to run rough. The pilot elected to perform a precautionary off-airport landing to a nearby cotton field. During the subsequent landing roll, the airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the firewall and vertical stabilizer. Examination of the engine, which included a test run, did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. A weather observation taken at an airport located about 30 miles southeast of the accident site, about the time of the accident, included a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius (C) and a dew point of -4 degrees C. The pilot did not use the carburetor heat control after experiencing the engine roughness; however, atmospheric conditions at the time were not conducive to the formation of carburetor ice.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 22, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,442 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 20, 2008; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CUB Columbia SC at 7:30 pm
- Destination: CUB Columbia SC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Observation at 8:53 pm from CUB, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.