Aeronca 7DC accident near Hollister, California, May 12, 2001
On May 12, 2001 at about 6:17 pm local time, a Aeronca 7DC, registered N4009B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hollister, California (Holister Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate aircraft handling procedure and failure to maintain directional control while landing in a known crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2001 · about 6:17 pm local time
- Place
- Hollister, California · Holister Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7DC · all 7DCs on the register
- Registration
- N4009B · registry record · serial 7BCM-380
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Approaching the airport, the pilot became aware that during landing on runway 31 he would encounter a left crosswind condition. The pilot landed with the airplane's left wing low to compensate for the crosswind. However, as the airplane decelerated it yawed right. The pilot's actions were inadequate to compensate for the surface wind that was from about 240 degrees, between 10 and 15 knots. Thereafter, the pilot lost directional control of his airplane. It veered right off the side of runway 31 and impacted a berm. The runway is 6,350 feet long and 100 feet wide.
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: 405 hours in all; 184 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 281 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 8, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,791 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 2001; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: 3O7 Hollister CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 6,350 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 5:48 pm from RHV, 33 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.