Aeronca 7AC accident near Near Sisters, Oregon, April 6, 1983
On April 6, 1983 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N83096, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Sisters, Oregon. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1983 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Near Sisters, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N83096 · registry record · serial 1753
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE BEGAN CLIMBING AFTER MAKING A PASS OVER A FROZEN LAKE & NEAR A YOUTH CAMP. HE REPORTED THAT THE ACFT ENTERED A STALL, THEN BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT AT APRX 1000 FT AGL. HE INITIATED CORRECTIVE ACTION, BUT THE MAIN GEAR HIT THE LAKE BEFORE A RECOVERY WAS COMPLETED. AFTER IMPACT, THE ACFT SLIDE APRX 150 FT ACROSS THE FROZEN LAKE BEFORE COMING TO REST. THE ELEVATION OF THE LAKE WAS APRX 4500 FT MSL.
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: 179 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 129 as pilot in command; 1 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,392 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 26, 1982; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6K5 Sisters OR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from RDM, 32 miles away
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.