Aeronca 11AC accident near Mocksville, North Carolina, August 28, 2010
On August 28, 2010 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 11AC, registered N85929, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Mocksville, North Carolina (Twin Lakes 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
The pilot’s failure to attain the proper touchdown point, following a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2010 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mocksville, North Carolina · Twin Lakes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11AC · all 11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N85929 · registry record · serial 11AC-349
- 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 the airplane was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, when it experienced a complete loss of engine power. He was able to glide the airplane onto the runway; however, he subsequently realized that he would not be able to stop before the end of the runway, and elected to turn right into bushes, rather than encounter the down-sloping terrain located beyond the runway. The airplane contacted the bushes, and flipped over, prior to coming to rest, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing, fuselage, and empennage. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions which would have resulted in a loss of engine power. The pilot stated that he believed the loss of engine power was due to carburetor icing, and that he had applied carburetor heat, just prior to the loss of engine power. Review of a carburetor icing envelope chart revealed that the temperature and dew point reported at an airport located about 11 miles southeast of the accident site, at the time of the accident, was within the "serious icing (glide power)" area of the chart.
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 (total) during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 327 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 327 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 14, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,085 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 2010; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Tcm A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8A7 Mocksville NC at 2:00 pm
- Destination: 8A7 Mocksville NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 2,943 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 3:59 pm from EXX, 11 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.