Aeronca 7EC accident near New Castle, Pennsylvania, May 21, 1996
On May 21, 1996, a Aeronca 7EC, registered N1536E, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Castle, Pennsylvania (New Castle Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground swerve and an encounter with high grass and a ditch off the side of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1996
- Place
- New Castle, Pennsylvania · New Castle Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7EC · all 7ECs on the register
- Registration
- N1536E · no longer on the register · serial 7AC-5099
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated, '. . . I touched down in the three point configuration. During the rollout, the aircraft veered to the right. I counter controlled with full left rudder and brake. Control inputs were insufficient to counter the yaw. When the right wheel struck the tall grass, the additional drag pulled the aircraft off the runway.' The airplane then encountered a ditch and was damaged. Additionally, the pilot reported that there was no malfunction with the airplane, and that the wind was light and variable.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,300 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,579 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 18, 1996; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BVI Beaver Falls PA at 11:50 pm
- Destination: 2G7
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.