Aeronca 7AC accident near Jacksboro, Tennessee, August 29, 2022
On August 29, 2022 at about 4:50 pm local time, a 1946 Aeronca 7AC, registered N1478E, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Jacksboro, Tennessee (Colonel Tommy C Stiner Airfiel airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 2022 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksboro, Tennessee · Colonel Tommy C Stiner Airfiel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC, built 1946 · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N1478E · no longer on the register · serial 7AC-5041
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a friend, the pilot had not flown for 20 years, and purchased the accident airplane the day before the accident flight. The pilot’s friend witnessed and recorded video of the accident takeoff, which revealed that the airplane became airborne and entered a slow speed, nose-high climb that continued into a left turn. The airplane then pitched nose-down and began descending while the engine could be heard operating smoothly and continuously to ground contact. The airplane was found in a nose-down position in a field near the runway with significant damage to the engine and cockpit area. All primary flight control surfaces remained attached, and the empennage was bent upward and forward but remained partially attached. The wreckage examination did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Toxicology testing detected diphenhydramine in the pilot’s cavity blood and urine. The concentration of diphenhydramine in cavity blood was reported qualitatively, indicating a level below the laboratory reporting threshold. Given the potential for postmortem redistribution and contamination in cavity blood, it is unlikely that the pilot’s use of diphenhydramine contributed to the accident. The takeoff described by the witness and video appeared consistent with entry into a low altitude aerodynamic stall. The distribution of the wreckage and relatively low energy signatures exhibited by the wreckage at the accident site were also consistent with an aerodynamic stall. Based on this information, it is likely that the pilot exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and impact with terrain.
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 in flight during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 2 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from JAU
Weather report (METAR): KJAU 291655Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT029 29/22 A3016 RMK A01
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on September 26, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Witness Mor | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Video | video · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Examination Summary | PDF, 6 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Medical Factual Memorandum for Record | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 6 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 7 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
Other NTSB records under N1478E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.