Aeronca 11CC accident near Orange City, Iowa, July 31, 1983
On July 31, 1983 at about 1:40 am local time, a Aeronca 11CC, registered N4368E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orange City, Iowa. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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 31, 1983 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Orange City, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11CC · all 11CCs on the register
- Registration
- N4368E · no longer on the register · serial 194
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT HAD COMPLETED A LANDING IN A FIELD AND THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF FROM THE STOPPING POINT. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT BECOME AIRBORNE AND RAN FOR APRX 100 FEET ACROSS A BOGGY SWAMP AND IMPACTED A FOUR FOOT HIGH DIRT BANK.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 105 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 11 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 720 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 1982; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from NWS, 38 miles away
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.
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.