Aeronca 7BC accident near Half Moon Bay, California, January 29, 2009
On January 29, 2009 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 7BC, registered N2805E, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Half Moon Bay, California. It was a personal 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
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to perform an accurate visual fuel quantity check prior to initiating the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 2009 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Half Moon Bay, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7BC · all 7BCs on the register
- Registration
- N2805E · no longer on the register · serial 7AC-6388
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While returning from an island sightseeing flight about 25 miles into the Pacific Ocean, the pilot of the rented vintage airplane heard what he thought was a change in engine sound. About five minutes later, while cruising at about 2,400 rpm, with oil pressure and oil temperature indicating normal, the engine suddenly stopped producing power. Although the wood propeller continued to windmill until the airplane was slowed to about 60 miles per hour, the pilot could not get the engine restarted and ultimately ditched in the ocean. The duration of the flight was 1.6 hours and the pilot reported that the 13-gallon fuel tank appeared full prior to engine start. A subsequent records review revealed that the airplane had been flown for .6 of an hour on the previous day, and had not subsequently been refueled. According to the certified flight instructor, who checked the pilot out in the airplane, the pilot was informed that due to its limited fuel quantity, when fully fueled, the airplane needed to be back at the airport two hours after departure. The total time logged since the last refueling was 2.2 hours, and the flight to the island included an outbound climb to about 5,000 feet.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Ditching during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Inadequate inspection
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 337 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 20, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aerodynamic Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KRHV San Jose CA at 9:16 pm
- Destination: KRHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.