Aeronca 11AC accident near Brewer, Maine, May 6, 2001
On May 6, 2001 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Aeronca 11AC, registered N9267E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brewer, Maine (Brewer Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight preparation, which resulted in insufficient fuel in the forward tank and loss of engine power during the climb. Also causal, was the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed after the engine failure, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and impact with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 2001 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Brewer, Maine · Brewer Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11AC · all 11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N9267E · registry record · serial 11AC-902
- 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 preflight, he saw fuel in both the forward and aft fuel tanks. He hand-propped the engine, and after startup, conducted two engine runups, then took off. During the climb, between 150 feet and 200 feet of altitude, the engine and propeller stopped running. The pilot attempted to slip the airplane back onto the grass runway; however, it stalled, then impacted the ground and spun around, about 180 degrees. The fuel system was not compromised. The forward fuel tank was empty, and the aft fuel tank contained an unknown quantity of fuel. Small amounts of fuel were also found in the gascolator and carburetor. During climbs, fuel could only be drawn from the forward tank.
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: 147 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 31, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,170 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 16, 2000; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,394 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0B2 Brewer ME at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 1,730 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.51 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from BGR, 4 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.