Aeronca 7AC accident near Frederick, Maryland, August 24, 1996
On August 24, 1996 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N81543, was substantially damaged in an accident near Frederick, Maryland (Fredrick Municipal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in a stall and collision with the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1996 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Frederick, Maryland · Fredrick Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N81543 · no longer on the register · serial 7AC-364
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he had started his departure roll on runway 12 with a normal power setting. He said he climbed at 55 mph in a steep but normal attitude at about 30 degrees nose up. He said that he leveled off at about 100 feet above ground with wings level, when (what seemed like) a 'giant hand' (he guessed turbulence; there did not seem to be a flight control problem) started to 'throw the airplane around.' The airplane rolled left and right to 45 degrees or so, without warning. He said the airplane then descended in a flat attitude as if it was pushed, and it hit the ground slightly left wing down at full throttle. A witness, who was watching the takeoff, stated that the airplane took off in a steep nose high attitude, and at about ten feet above the ground, it stalled and fell back onto the runway, striking the left wing and separating the left main landing gear. He said the aircraft then slid off the runway to the left.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 1,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,098 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FDK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 am from HGR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N81543 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.