Aeronca 7AC accident near Broadus, Montana, August 7, 2009
On August 7, 2009 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Aeronca 7AC, registered N84787, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Broadus, Montana (Broadus Airport). 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 pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during low altitude maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2009 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Broadus, Montana · Broadus Airport · 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
- N84787 · registry record · serial 7AC-3504
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he initiated a descending right turn at a slow airspeed to check on livestock. As he added power to arrest the descent rate, he felt the right wing stall, and the airplane impacted terrain. Examination of the airplane by the pilot revealed structural damage to the right wing, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot stated that he had no time to recover due to the low altitude, and reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane or flight control systems.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 338 hours in all; 186 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 20, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,288 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 2009; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C85 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 00F Broadus MT at 12:40 pm
- Destination: 00F Broadus MT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KMLS, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.