Aeronca 7AC accident near Whitefield, New Hampshire, April 16, 1991
On April 16, 1991 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N1303E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Whitefield, New Hampshire (Mount Washington airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 1991 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Whitefield, New Hampshire · Mount Washington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N1303E · registry record · serial 7AC-4863
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LANDING ON RUNWAY 28 AT MOUNT WASHINGTON REGIONAL AIRPORT, WHITEFIELD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED GUSTY WINDS. THE PILOT STATED SHORTLY AFTER THE WHEELS TOUCHED DOWN A WIND LIFTED THE LEFT WING, THREATENING TO CAUSE THE AIRPLANE TO FLIP. HE STATED HE TRIED TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY APPLYING POWER, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRPLANE FLOATED OFF THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 250 NORTH OF THE RUNWAY, DAMAGING THE FUSELAGE, LANDING GEAR, AND WOODEN PROPELLER.
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: 994 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 904 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 54 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1990; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.