Aeronca 7-AC accident near Thompson Falls, Montana, June 25, 1998
On June 25, 1998 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Aeronca 7-AC, registered N82834, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thompson Falls, Montana (Thompson Falls airport). It was an instructional 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 instructor's inadequate remedial action with the application of excessive brake pressure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1998 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Thompson Falls, Montana · Thompson Falls · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7-AC · all 7-ACs on the register
- Registration
- N82834 · registry record · serial 7AC-1484
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Aeronca 7AC was applying braking during a practice short-field landing. The instructor pilot in the back seat told her to apply more braking, but she did not apply as much as the instructor thought was appropriate. The instructor therefore elected to apply additional braking, whereupon the aircraft started to nose over. As soon as the nose-over started, the instructor pilot released the brake pressure he had applied, but it was too late to keep the aircraft's nose from hitting the runway and the main gear from lifting off the runway surface. After hitting the runway, the aircraft fell back onto its main landing gear with sufficient force to tear one main gear attach fitting from the fuselage.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 442 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 442 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 18, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 2,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: THM at 4:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,200 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.