Aeronca 7EC accident near Scoodic Lake, Maine, July 5, 1987
On July 5, 1987 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 7EC, registered N8955R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Scoodic Lake, Maine (Scoodic Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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 5, 1987 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Scoodic Lake, Maine · Scoodic Lake
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7EC · all 7ECs on the register
- Registration
- N8955R · no longer on the register · serial 7EC-713
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OF THE FLOAT EQUIPPED ACFT WAS TAKING OFF FROM SCOODIC LAKE. DRG THE INITIAL CLIMB PHASE AFTER TAKEOFF, HE NOTED THE ACFT BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE & WOULD NOT CLEAR TREES ON A RIDGE AHEAD. HE INITIATED A TURN BACK TOWARD THE LAKE; HOWEVER, THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES & SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 421 hours in all; 402 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 367 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,258 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Old Town ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.