Aeronca 7AC accident near Vancouver, Washington, June 23, 1996
On June 23, 1996 at about 2:30 am local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N81966, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vancouver, Washington (Evergreen Field). 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
failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during take-off, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve and subsequent dragging of the right wing. The pilot's lack of experience in the make/model of aircraft was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1996 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Vancouver, Washington · Evergreen Field · 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
- N81966 · registry record · serial 591
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported to an FAA inspector that during the initial takeoff roll, the airplane 'got a little sideways,' and immediately after becoming airborne, the right wing slammed into the ground. Also, the pilot reported that he had only 2 hours of flight time in the Aeronca 7AC aircraft before the accident.
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: 103 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 55 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 59S at 2:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28L, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from PDX, 4 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.