Aeronca 11BC accident near Auburn, Washington, September 26, 2000
On September 26, 2000 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Aeronca 11BC, registered N3954E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Auburn, Washington (Auburn Municipal 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
The pilot's failure to adequately secure the aircraft prior to a manual engine start. A contributing factor was the excessive throttle setting on start.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2000 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, Washington · Auburn Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11BC · all 11BCs on the register
- Registration
- N3954E · registry record · serial 11BC-38
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot fueled the tail-wheel equipped Aeronca 11BC aircraft prior to a planned departure. The aircraft was not equipped with a parking brake, and the lack of an electric starter required hand propping to start the engine. The pilot secured the aircraft with a length of rope with one end connected at the aircraft's releasable tie-down tail hook, and the opposing end tied to a Chevron sign post. Initial attempts to start the aircraft with the throttle closed were unsuccessful, and the pilot then 'cracked' the throttle and hand propped the engine, which started immediately. The pilot reported that she 'saw the aircraft idling too fast and moving forward.' The rope then broke and the aircraft taxied into the metal barricades protecting the fuel pumps. The pilot reported that she carried chocks in the aircraft but had not used them at the time of the engine start.
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: 246 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 2000; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A75 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S50
- Destination: S36 Crest Airpark WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from RNT, 10 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.