Aeronca S11BC accident near Livingston Mnr, New York, July 16, 1988
On July 16, 1988 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Aeronca S11BC, registered N3988E, was destroyed in an accident near Livingston Mnr, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 16, 1988 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Livingston Mnr, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca S11BC · all S11BCs on the register
- Registration
- N3988E · no longer on the register · serial 11BC76
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD JUST DEPARTED FROM THE SURFACE OF A LAKE, WHEN AT AN ALTITUDE OF 50 FT AGL AND IN A LEFT TURN, THE ENGINE QUIT. THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE LAKE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES AND WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT HAD EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE ON THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT & FAILED TO TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE MEASURES. HE BELIEVED HE HAD BAD FUEL.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,588 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 1988; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Livingston Mnr NY at 3:00 pm
- Destination: Edison NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 45,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.