Aeronca Champion 7AC accident near St. Petersburg, Florida, July 7, 1982
On July 7, 1982 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Aeronca Champion 7AC, registered N1724E, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Petersburg, Florida (Albert Whitted 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 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
- July 7, 1982 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- St. Petersburg, Florida · Albert Whitted · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca Champion 7AC
- Registration
- N1724E · registry record · serial 5290
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN THE PILOT TOOKOFF TO PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS, HE NOTICED A STORM ACROSS THE BAY OVER TAMPA. HE CHANGED FROM RUNWAY 24 TO RUNWAY 18 WHEN HE NOTICED A CHANGE IN THE WIND DIRECTION. AFTER COMPLETING THREE MORE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS, HE ELECTED TO MAKE THE NEXT TO A FULL STOP. HE REPORTED THAT THE APPROACH SEEMED TO BE SATISFACTORY UNTIL HE BEGAN TO FLARE. AT THAT TIME, THE PLANE SUDDENLY BEGAN DRIFTING RIGHT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE TRIED TO CORRECT FOR THE DRIFT, BUT THE PLANE STALLED AND STRUCK THE GROUND. BOTH OF THE MAIN GEAR FAILED DURING TOUCHDOWN. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. ACCORDING TO THE 1549 EDT WEATHER OBSERVATION AT ST. PETERSBURG, THERE WAS INTENSIVE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN THE AREA.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 575 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 364 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,916 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 740 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sunshine Flight, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SPG St. Petersburg FL
- Destination: SPG St. Petersburg FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 180°F (82°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:49 pm from PIE, 10 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.