Aeronca 65-TC accident near Harris, North Carolina, July 12, 2000
On July 12, 2000 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 65-TC, registered N29416, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harris, North Carolina (Boomerang 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 unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot while descending for a forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the partial loss of engine power due a blocked fuel line resulting in fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2000 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Harris, North Carolina · Boomerang Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 65-TC · all 65-TCs on the register
- Registration
- N29416 · registry record · serial L3080T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew to a nearby airport, landed, remained on the ground with the engine running, then elected to depart. During the initial climb about 50-100 feet agl, the engine experienced a loss of power. Unable to maintain altitude he maneuvered towards a sandbar in a river and while descending to fly beneath a trestle bridge that was between his location and the sandbar, the airplane collided with a wire beneath the bridge. The airplane veered to the right, descended and impacted with 'scrub trees/saplings' on a side of the river. Examination of the airplane revealed 'rust' from a fuel line between the header tank and the fuel shut-off valve. Removal of the rust revealed an increase in fuel flow to the carburetor. Cold differential compression testing of each cylinder revealed no cylinder was greater than 52 psi when using 80 psi as a reference. The last annual inspection occurred on February 3, 2000; the airplane had accumulated approximately 20 hours since then. No inspections were recorded between a periodic inspection on June 8, 1963, and an annual inspection December 12, 1994. The December 1994 entry indicates, 'Assembled aircraft after long term storage....' No record of fuel lines was noted.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,894 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 3, 2000; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NC02 NC at 4:29 pm
- Destination: 8NC2 Caroleen NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:20 pm from FQD
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.