Aeronca 7AC accident near Martinsville, Virginia, April 1, 2025
On April 1, 2025 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N84065, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Martinsville, Virginia (Blue Ridge airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot inadvertently turned off the fuel selector valve on takeoff which resulted in a loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 2025 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Martinsville, Virginia · Blue Ridge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N84065 · no longer on the register · serial 7AC-2752
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to take off when his handheld radio fell from its holder and came to rest under a control cable. The pilot said that once the climb attitude was established, he reached down and picked up the radio and inadvertently turned off the fuel selector valve. Less than a minute later, the engine lost power. The pilot said he ran the emergency checklist and checked that the fuel was “on”, but he was too low to re-start the engine. The pilot made a forced landing north of the runway on airport property resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage.
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 engine power (total) during takeoff
- Fuel related during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Unintentional use/operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,750 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 5,400 as pilot in command; 1,600 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2024
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2024; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 2,000 hours total
The flight
- Destination: FVX Farmville VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13/3, 5,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 am from KMTV, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMTV 011335Z AUTO 33012G16KT 10SM CLR 09/00 A3006 RMK AO2 T00910001
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Rear View of Airplane at Accident Site
Photograph 2 – Right Side View of Airplane at Accident Site
Photograph 3 – Front View of Airplane at Accident SiteThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on November 6, 2025. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Record of Memo - Email Excerpt Between NTSB and Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Memo for Record - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.