Aeronca 11AC accident near Conyers, Georgia, March 31, 2024
On March 31, 2024 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1947 Aeronca 11AC, registered N3420E, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Conyers, Georgia (Whispering Pines airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An encounter with shifting wind conditions, which resulted in the airplane using more runway than anticipated, an aborted takeoff, and subsequent runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure account for the potential of variable and shifting wind in his departure planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 2024 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Conyers, Georgia · Whispering Pines · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11AC NO SERIES, built 1947 · all 11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N3420E · registry record · serial 11AC-1737
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was taking off from a 2,700-ft-long runway and described that during the initial climb, the airplane’s climb rate was insufficient to avoid the trees at the departure end of the runway. The pilot attempted to land on the remaining runway; however, the airplane departed the far end of the runway, impacted a berm, and came to rest in a lake. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that the engine was operating normally and that there were no anomalies or mechanical failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Three of the closest official weather stations reported the wind was varying between being a quartering headwind to a quartering tailwind. The pilot reported receiving the weather conditions from an online, publicly available weather station, which reported that a headwind would be present for takeoff. He also provided a plot of the data from that station for the time surrounding accident, and it showed that while the wind direction was reported as he described, it had also begun to vary around that time, and continued to for some time afterward. Based on this information, it is likely that the variable wind conditions resulted in a shift in wind direction during takeoff that changed from a quartering headwind to a quartering tailwind.
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
- Other weather encounter during initial climb
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,014 hours in all; 51.6 in this make and model; 5.9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 892 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 26, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,703.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 22, 2023; 3.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 2,703 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GA80 Conyers GA at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,600 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from CVC, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCVC 311755Z AUTO 25008KT 190V290 10SM SCT044 23/13 A3006 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on June 21, 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Record - Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Area Weather Reports | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ERA24LA183.