Aeronca 7CCM accident near Rochester, New Hampshire, December 11, 2010
On December 11, 2010 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 7CCM, registered N2053E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Rochester, New Hampshire (Skyhaven Airport). It was an instructional 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 out-of-rig condition of the tailwheel lock, which resulted in a loss of directional control on landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2010 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rochester, New Hampshire · Skyhaven Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7CCM · all 7CCMs on the register
- Registration
- N2053E · registry record · serial 7AC-5623
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the first three landings, with the student pilot at the controls, the airplane veered to the left upon touchdown. On the fourth landing, the airplane veered left again, and then the tailwheel momentarily lifted off the runway. When the tailwheel came back down, the airplane pulled hard to the left, but the flight instructor regained some directional control. The airplane departed the runway surface and struck the surface-mounted precision approach path indicator, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. A postaccident inspection by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the tailwheel unlocked easily when shaken manually.
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 control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Malfunction
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,050 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 2 hours in all; 2 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,802 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C90 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rochester Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: DAW Rochester NH at 12:30 pm
- Destination: DAW Rochester NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,001 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from DAW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.