Champion AERONCA 7AC accident near Bridgeton, New Jersey, September 19, 2022
On September 19, 2022 at about 5:48 pm local time, a Champion AERONCA 7AC, registered N2716E, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Bridgeton, New Jersey (Bucks airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack shortly after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2022 · about 5:48 pm local time
- Place
- Bridgeton, New Jersey · Bucks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion AERONCA 7AC · all AERONCA 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N2716E · registry record · serial 7AC-6296
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were departing on a local personal flight. Witnesses stated that the as the airplane departed the engine did not sound like it was creating full power. During the initial climb, the airplane briefly climbed at a steep angle then turned left, descended, and impacted the ground about 500 ft from the departure end of the runway. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have prevented normal engine operation. Given the witness statements, and the findings of the postaccident engine examination, it could not be determined whether there was a partial loss of engine power during the takeoff. Nevertheless, the conditions about the time of the accident, given the temperature and dew point, were favorable for serious carburetor icing at a glide power setting. Given this information, it is possible that during the ground operation, when the engine would typically be operating at low power, carburetor ice formed. This could have resulted in at least a partial loss of engine power during the initial climb. The available evidence for this investigation did not indicate whether or not the pilot applied carburetor heat before or during the flight. The witness reports of the airplane briefly climbing at a steep angle, the video showing the airplane in a steep descending left turn, as well as the signatures observed on the wreckage (aft crushing of the forward portion of the fuselage, the relatively uniform aft crush damage on the leading edges of both wings, and damage consistent with a relatively low energy state at the time of impact) were all consistent with the airplane encountering an aerodynamic stall before it impacted the ground. Given that there were no anomalies observed with the airplane’s flight controls during the postaccident wreckage examination, it is likely that the pilot exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack at an altitude too low to recover, which resulted in the subsequent 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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Flight time: 2,610 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,561.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 2,697 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,900 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from MIV, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMIV 191754Z AUTO 20007KT 10SM CLR 28/18 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP136 6//// T02830183 10289 20206 56013
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA22FA426.