Aeronca 7AC accident near Lancaster, California, May 4, 1999
On May 4, 1999 at about 5:42 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N2403E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lancaster, California (General Wm. J. Fox 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to attempt a ground turning maneuver in wind conditions beyond the capability of the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1999 · about 5:42 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, California · General Wm. J. Fox · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N2403E · registry record · serial 5982
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had been cleared for an intersection takeoff and was attempting a 360-degree turn to realign the airplane with the taxiway. The winds at the time the pilot attempted the maneuver were from 270 degrees at 20 knots, with higher gusts to 26 knots. As the tail turned into the wind during the turn, the tail lifted and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical abnormalities with the conventional gear airplane.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site 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 LAX99LA169.