Aeronca 7CCM accident near Caldwell, Idaho, April 3, 2013
On April 3, 2013, a Aeronca 7CCM, registered N4687E, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Caldwell, Idaho (Caldwell Industrial 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 loss of directional control after an encounter with a wind gust during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 2013
- Place
- Caldwell, Idaho · Caldwell Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7CCM · all 7CCMs on the register
- Registration
- N4687E · registry record · serial 7CCM-217
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and a passenger departed from a private airport in a tandem-seat, tailwheel-equipped airplane, destined for a public airport about 3 miles to the south. The pilot reported that he performed a "short field" landing to a full stop on runway 12 and then began a takeoff from the stopping point. The airplane veered to the right, the pilot applied corrective inputs, but the airplane exited the left side of the runway and ground looped. Both wings sustained substantial damage. The weather about the time of the accident included wind from 360 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions and that he lost control due to a wind gust.
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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 295 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 19, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,042 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ID00 Caldwell ID at 1:25 am
- Destination: EUL Caldwell ID
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 12, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 am from EUL
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.