Aeronca 7DC accident near Greenland, New Hampshire, July 6, 2011
On July 6, 2011 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 7DC, registered N4375E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Greenland, New Hampshire (Sanderson'S Field). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and subsequent loss of control during an attempted go-around maneuver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2011 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Greenland, New Hampshire · Sanderson'S Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7DC · all 7DCs on the register
- Registration
- N4375E · registry record · serial 7DC-35
- 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 hit hard upon touchdown and bounced. The pilot tried to recover by applying full power and initiating a go-around but realized that the airplane was not climbing at a sufficient rate to clear power lines. As the pilot pulled back on the control stick to try to increase the rate of climb, the airplane stalled. The pilot pushed the controls forward to recover from the stall and maneuvered the airplane toward a swamp area to avoid impacting trees. The airplane landed hard in the swamp area beyond the extended runway centerline and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. A postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal evidence of mechanical malfunctions which could have contributed to the accident.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 255 in the last 90 days; 93 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 236 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 13, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,159 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-8F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hampton Airfieild INC
The flight
- Departed from: 7B3 North Hampton NH at 2:15 pm
- Destination: 7B3 North Hampton NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from PSM, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.