# Accident 20250624010769A: Aeronca 7AC, Westphalia, MI, June 24, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 24, 2025, 13:30 local time
- Place: Westphalia, MI
- Airport: Forest Hill Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.9116° N, 84.6749° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at FOREST HILL (3F5), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9116&lon=-84.6749&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2659E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2659E-2025-11-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aeronca 7AC (registry code 2110102, https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7ac) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AERONCA 7AC
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR O200
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 1,224 total, 420 in this make and model, 90 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250624010769A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON MAY 24, 2025, AT 1336 LOCAL TIME, AN AMERICAN CHAMPION 7AC AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, REGISTERED TO AND FLOWN BY A COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON TAKEOFF AND SUBSEQUENT OFF FIELD LANDING AT FOREST HILL AIRPORT (3F5), ST. JOHNS, MICHIGAN. VFR METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN.  THE PILOT SUSTAINED NO INJURIES.

IN A STATEMENT FROM THE PILOT, HE HAD BEEN FLYING TO A NUMBER OF LOCAL AIRPORTS EARLIER IN THE DAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHILE DEPARTING FOREST HILL, THE RUNUP WAS FINE AND THE AIRCRAFT PRODUCED FULL POWER DURING THE TAKE-OFF ROLL AND INITIAL CLIMB OUT. AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER. THE PILOT LOCATED A FIELD TO HIS LEFT AND SLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT IN. ON LANDING THE MAIN LANDING GEAR DUG INTO THE SOFT SOIL AND THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY FLIPPED ONTO ITS BACK. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EGRESS FROM THE AIRCRAFT UNAIDED. NO ELT DEPLOYMENT OR POST-CRASH FIRE WAS NOTED.

INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWS COWL AND PROPELLER CRUSH DAMAGE, BOTH WINGS SHOW LEADING EDGE AND WING STRUT DAMAGE WITH TWISTING. THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER ARE BOTH DAMAGED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN, AND THE FUSELAGE APPEARS SLIGHTLY TWISTED.

INVESTIGATION FOUND NO MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE. THERE WAS FUEL STILL ONBOARD AND IN THE FUEL SUMP. WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT: LAN 24/1753, VIS 10 MILES, CEILING OVERCAST 4500 FEET, PRESS 30.2, TEMP 58, DEW 41, RH 53%, WIND 290 AT 10.

CONSIDERING THE TEMPERATURE, DEWPOINT, AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, IT IS BELIEVED THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED CARBURETOR ICING WITH A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF POWER DURING THE CLIMB-OUT. THE PILOTS LACK OF CARB HEAT USAGE MAY BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

## Other reports on N2659E (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20110210002609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110210002609A), Feb 10, 2011: Aeronca 7AC (N2659E), Novato, CA, Substantial damage. On February 10, 2011, about 1352 pacific standard time, an Aeronca 7AC, N2659E, experienced a totalloss of engine power on approach for landing at Gnoss Field…
- [Accident 19770430011559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19770430011559A), Apr 30, 1977: Blanca 7AC (N2659E), Colusa, CA, Substantial damage. Bird control.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.