Aeronca 7AC accident near Lakeland, Florida, April 18, 2005
On April 18, 2005 at about 2:41 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N4264E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland Linder Reginal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, and his failure to maintain directional control during landing resulting in the airplane departing the runway and colliding with a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 2005 · about 2:41 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland Linder Reginal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N4264E · registry record · serial 7AC-7161
- 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 during landing the airplane veered off to the left and the left wing started to lower towards the runway; he added power to increase effectiveness of the rudder to try to straighten out. The airplane straightened out and ran into a ditch. The pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident. A witness stated the airplane landed and had a small bounce; both wheels were on the ground when it looked as if the wind picked up the left wing. The airplane came back down but sideways and spun in a circle. It then headed down into a ditch and came out the other side becoming briefly airborne before impacting the grass in a nose down attitude and spinning around.
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: 149 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X55 Eustis FL
- Destination: LAL Lakeland FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
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 N4264E 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.