Aeronca 7AC accident near Friendsville, Pennsylvania, October 28, 1989
On October 28, 1989 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N4428E, was destroyed in an accident near Friendsville, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND STALLED THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 1989 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Friendsville, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N4428E · no longer on the register · serial 7AC-7189
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AERONICA 7AC DEPARTED A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AND SETTLED INTO TREES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A PASSENGER WAS HOLDING A SACK OF CORN AND IT SLIPPED DOWN AND JAMMED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, PREVENTING HIM FROM CLEARING THE TREES. THE FAA REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TREES WITH SLOW FORWARD AIRSPEED AND HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK. THEY DESCRIBED IT AS A 'STALL' TYPE OF ACCIDENT.
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
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 688 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,759 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 1988; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Friendsville PA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: Endicott NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.