Aeronca 11AC accident near Newbury, Massachusetts, September 11, 1984
On September 11, 1984 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 11AC, registered N85819, was destroyed in an accident near Newbury, Massachusetts. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- September 11, 1984 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Newbury, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11AC · all 11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N85819 · no longer on the register · serial 11AC-228
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT HAD LOGGED APPROXIMATELY 240 HRS OF FLYING TIME. HE WAS NOT CERTIFICATED TO CARRY PAX. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE ACFT DESCEND AT A SLOW AIRSPEED TO AN ALT OF 100 FT. THE ACFT THEN MADE A STEEP BANK TURN TO THE RIGHT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. A PRIVATE PILOT WITNESS SAID THAT THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE ON AN APPROACH TO LAND ON THE BEACH WHEN THE TURN WAS MADE & THE ACFT SPUN ABOUT 1/2 TURN BEFORE GROUND IMPACT.
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
- Flight time: 240 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 9, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Methuen MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from BVY, 10 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.