Aeronca 65-TL accident near Findley Lake, New York, January 10, 1994
On January 10, 1994 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 65-TL, registered N29404, was substantially damaged in an accident near Findley Lake, 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 failure of a weld at the base of the landing gear which resulted in the failure of the left snow-ski assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 1994 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Findley Lake, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 65-TL · all 65-TLs on the register
- Registration
- N29404 · no longer on the register · serial L2960T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED FROM HIS FARM FIELD IN HIS 1940, WOODEN SNOW-SKI EQUIPPED AIRPLANE. HIS DESTINATION WAS A FROZEN LAKE TO PRACTICE TAKE-OFFS AND LANDINGS. HE COMPLETED ONE TOUCH AND GO LANDING TO CHECK THE SNOW DEPTH. DURING HIS SECOND LANDING TO A FULL STOP THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE SLID FOR ABOUT 40 FEET IN THE DEEP SNOW COVERED ICE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT A WELD AT THE BASE OF THE LEFT LANDING GEAR FAILED.
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: student
- Flight time: 168 hours in all; 135 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 103 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,663 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 29, 1993; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-145B-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Clymer NY at 7:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from ERI, 26 miles away
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.