Aeronca 7AC accident near American Falls, Idaho, July 16, 1989
On July 16, 1989 at about 1:40 am local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N1636E, was substantially damaged in an accident near American Falls, Idaho. It was a business 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
AN ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO STRIPPED AND BROKEN TEETH ON A MAGNETO DRIVE GEAR IN THE ACCESSORY GEAR BOX. A SOFT FIELD CAUSED THE NOSE OVER DURING THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1989 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- American Falls, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N1636E · registry record · serial 7AC5201
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT DURING FLT THE ENG LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY,THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A SOFT FIELD. RPRTDLY, AN ACCESSORY GEAR THAT DROVE A MAGNETO HAD BECOME STRIPPED AND BROKEN, CAUSING THE MAGNETO TO GET OUT OF TIME WITH THE CAM.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Jerome ID
- Destination: American Falls ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA89LA133.