Aeronca 7AC accident near Porterville, California, June 24, 1982
On June 24, 1982 at about 3:08 am local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N1938E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Porterville, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1982 · about 3:08 am local time
- Place
- Porterville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N1938E · registry record · serial 5505
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON A LOCAL FLIGHT WITH TWO PASSENGERS. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS FLYING AT ABOUT 600 FT AGL WITH 2100 RPM WHEN HE THROTTLED BACK TO 1500 RPM FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE BACK TO CRUISE POWER, THE ENGINE FALTERED AND DIED. HE REPOSITIONED THE THROTTLE FORE AND AFT IN AN ATTEMPT TO START THE ENGINE BUT IT DID NOT RESPOND. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT CYCLE THE MAGNETOS OR CHECK THE CARBURETOR HEAT, BUT DID HAVE THE CARBURETOR HEAT ON FOR TWO MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: student
- Flight time: 104 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 83 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,062 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,069 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bergman Farms
The flight
- Departed from: Tulare CA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: Tulare CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N1938E 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.