Aeronca 7BCM accident near Port Townsend, Washington, June 2, 2025
On June 2, 2025 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1946 Aeronca 7BCM, registered N85311, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Port Townsend, Washington (Jefferson County Intl 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 flight instructor’s delayed remedial action and inadequate compensation for shifting wind conditions which resulted in a veer off the runway and collision with a sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2025 · about 6:30 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Port Townsend, Washington · Jefferson County Intl · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7BCM, built 1946 · all 7BCMs on the register
- Registration
- N85311 · registry record · serial 7AC4050
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that they had completed two landings and had configured the airplane for a third full-stop landing. With the student pilot manipulating the controls, the airplane touched down on the centerline in a three-point landing attitude. Shortly after touchdown, the airplane began veering to the left and the flight instructor assumed control of the airplane. Despite her attempts, the airplane continued off the runway surface and the left landing gear collided with a sign. As a result of the collision, the left wing strut was damaged. The flight instructor noted that the wind was reported as light and variable. During the accident landing, the wind had shifted to a 180° tailwind of approximately 10 knots, initiating the left veer off the runway.
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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Ability to respond/compensate
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 22, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 351 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 30, 2025
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C85-12 (piston); 271 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0S9 Port Townsend WA at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09/2, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KTIW
Weather report (METAR): KTIW 021853Z VRB04KT 10SM CLR 17/07 A3027 RMK AO2 SLP250 T01670067
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 2, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photographs | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N85311 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ) 2,355 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Aeronca 3,953 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor C85-12 82 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Jefferson County International · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,644 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR25LA168.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.