Aeronca 11CC accident near Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, January 3, 1990
On January 3, 1990 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 11CC, registered N4636E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania (Flying Acres airport). 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
LOSS OF AIRSPEED AND AN INADVERTENT STALL BY THE PILOT DURING AN ATTEMPTED RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, FOLLOWING A POWER LOSS DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 1990 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania · Flying Acres · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11CC · all 11CCs on the register
- Registration
- N4636E · no longer on the register · serial 11CC-271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF 800 FEET AGL AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT FOR A LANDING. REALIZING HE WOULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRPLANE 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED AT 30 FEET AND STRUCK THE ROAD. ON IMPACT THE PILOT WAS THROWN OUT, HOWEVER HE WAS NOT INJURED. THE FAA EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND COULD FIND NO INDICATION OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE. THEY REPORTED THE TOP SPARK PLUGS WERE SOOTY AND THE FUEL TANKS CONTAINED AVIATION GASOLINE.
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
- Flight time: 517 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,100 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:30 pm
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.