Aeronca 11AC accident near Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania, June 26, 1982
On June 26, 1982 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Aeronca 11AC, registered N9451E, was destroyed in an accident near Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1982 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11AC · all 11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N9451E · registry record · serial 1089
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-CERTIFICATED PILOT TOOK OFF WITH ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD AND WITH BOTH DOORS REMOVED. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE PILOT MAKE A NUMBER OF PASSES NEAR BOATS, UNDER POWER LINES AND NEAR PEOPLE ON THE SURFACE. A NUMBER OF WITNESSES STATED THE PASSENGER WAS SITTING WITH HIS LEGS HANGING OUT THE PASSENGER'S DOORWAY. DURING ONE OF THE PASSES, THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE FRONT END OF A BOAT. THE PASSENGER IN THE AIRCRAFT AND TWO OCCUPANTS ON THE BOAT WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE PILOT AND ONE OCCUPANT ON THE BOAT WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PILOT HAD BEEN FLYING REGULARLY, HE HAD ABOUT 313 HRS TOTAL FLYING TIME, BUT HAD NO MEDICAL OR PILOT CERTIFICATE. NO AUTHORIZATION HAD BEEN OBTAINED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT DOORS. THE PILOT REPORTED ADDING 12 GAL OF AUTO FUEL BEFORE TAKEOFF. THE PLANE HAD FLOWN ABOUT 3.5 HRS BEFORE CRASHING. DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE AND BEING SUBMERGED IN WATER, THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD AT IMPACT WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE PILOT'S BLOOD/ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS REPORTED AS .14%.
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
- Flight time: 313 hours in all; 313 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,663 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Conowingo MD at 3:30 pm
- Destination: Conowingo MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 172°F (78°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC82FGT15.