Aeronca 7AC accident near Jamestown, New York, July 3, 1987
On July 3, 1987 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N2460E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jamestown, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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 3, 1987 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jamestown, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N2460E · registry record · serial 7AC-6039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT RENTED THE ACFT & FLEW TO A FIELD APRX 40 MI FROM THE DEP ARPT. AFTER LANDING, A PASSENGER BOARDED THE ACFT. THE STUDENT STARTED TO TAKEOFF AGAIN. DRG TAKEOFF, THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, BUT WOULD NOT CLIMB SUFFICIENTLY TO CLEAR TREES AT THE DEP END OF THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT FLEW INTO THE TREES & WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PLT THOUGHT THE ENG WAS AT FULL POWER DRG THE TAKEOFF. HE RPRTD THE WIND WAS VARIABLE AT 10 TO 15 KTS. ALSO, HE SAID HE THOUGHT THE WIND MAY HAVE SHIFTED AS HE WAS TAKING OFF. THE STUDENT DID NOT HAVE APPROVAL TO FLY THE ACFT BEYOND A 25 MI LIMIT FROM THE ORIGINAL DEP ARPT.
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: 110 hours in all; 95 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1987; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:13 pm from JHW
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.