Aeronca 7-EC accident near Flying M Ranch, Oregon, May 12, 2002
On May 12, 2002 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Aeronca 7-EC, registered N4712E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flying M Ranch, Oregon (Flying M Ranch 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 while applying the brakes during the landing roll. Factors include a tailwind and trees at the far end of the airstrip.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2002 · about 8:15 pm local time · cases in 2002
- Place
- Flying M Ranch, Oregon · Flying M Ranch · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7-EC · all 7-ECs on the register
- Registration
- N4712E · registry record · serial 7EC56
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While flying past the Flying M Airstrip en route to another airport, the pilot decided to land there. He circled the airport twice to check traffic and the winds, and then entered a left hand pattern. He rolled out on final with a slight tailwind, but was still able to touch down approximately where he intended. Almost immediately after touching down on the 2130 foot strip, the pilot started applying the brakes because the tree line at the far end appeared closer than he had expected. As he attempted to bring the aircraft to a stop, it drifted off the right side of the landing surface, and its wing impacted the propeller of a parked aircraft. The pilot later said that he believes that if he had continued a normal rollout and applied the brakes after the aircraft had a chance to slow, he would have had no problem stopping in the required distance.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,500 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 14,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 5, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,369 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 2002; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7S9 Lenhardt Field OR at 7:30 pm
- Destination: OR05 Flying M Ranch OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,130 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- 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.
Other NTSB records under N4712E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4712E on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ) 2,355 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Aeronca 3,953 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-200-A 296 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Flying M Airport · nearest airport
- Lenhardt Airpark · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Oregon 1,862 since 1982 · 277 in the last ten years
- Oregon 7,012 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N4712E 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA02LA080.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.