Aeronca 7DC accident near Fallon, Nevada, March 24, 2014
On March 24, 2014 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1948 Aeronca 7DC, registered N817DC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Fallon, Nevada (Fallon Municipal Airport). 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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 2014 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fallon, Nevada · Fallon Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7DC NO SERIES, built 1948 · all 7DCs on the register
- Registration
- N817DC · registry record · serial 7DC81
- 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 during the third landing of the day in the tailwheel equipped airplane, the wind switched to a quartering tailwind. After touchdown the airplane began to veer to the right. Despite pilot control inputs, the airplane continued to the right and departed the runway surface onto the dirt. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted; its left wing and rudder sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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 landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 402 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 178 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 17, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,055 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 26, 2014; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors C85 SERIES (piston); 3,055 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLX Fallon NV at 8:45 pm
- Destination: FLX Fallon NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 5,703 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from NFL, 5 miles away
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.