Aeronca 65-LB accident near Hilliard, Florida, July 26, 1991
On July 26, 1991 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Aeronca 65-LB, registered N31864, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hilliard, Florida (Hilliard Airpark 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDEPATH DURING FINAL APPROACH RESULTING IN THE INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES THEN THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1991 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Hilliard, Florida · Hilliard Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 65-LB · all 65-LBs on the register
- Registration
- N31864 · no longer on the register · serial LB11531
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APCH THE PLT SLIPPED THE ACFT TO DISSIPATE ALTITUDE. AFTER REALIZING THAT THE ACFT WAS LOW, ADDED POWER BUT THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES THEN THE GROUND.
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: 250 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,217 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 1991; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,150 ft by 125 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from JAX, 17 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.