Aeronca 7CCM accident near Norridgewock, Maine, August 7, 2012
On August 7, 2012 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 7CCM, registered N83129, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Norridgewock, Maine (Central Main Airport Of Norrid). It was an instructional 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 student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2012 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Norridgewock, Maine · Central Main Airport Of Norrid · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7CCM · all 7CCMs on the register
- Registration
- N83129 · registry record · serial 1787
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that while landing on runway 21, immediately following contact of the main landing gear onto the runway, the right wing “came up.” The pilot compensated with left rudder and right aileron and kept the aircraft centered on the runway. Shortly thereafter, the right wing raised up a second time. The airplane then departed the right side of the runway and came to rest after the right wing impacted a tree 270 feet from the runway. A flight instructor at the airport stated that the wind favored runway 21 but had reversed direction during the accident flight. A meteorological report from the airport indicated wind from 190 degrees at 3 knots about the time of the accident, with no wind speeds exceeding 3 knots throughout the duration of the landing roll. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the right wing spar. The examination did not reveal any evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane following 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
- 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 oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 36 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,146 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 2012; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C90 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KOLD Old Town ME
- Destination: KOWK Norridgewock ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,999 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 2:30 pm from KOWK
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.