- Date
- July 9, 1992, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Slatington, PA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7578BAeronca 7EC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920709024519A
- Case key
- 11730
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The loss of control in flight for undetermined reasons which resulted in an inadvertent stall at an altitude insufficient for recovery.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Witness reported that shortly after takeoff, the airplane attained climb angle and then pitched up upon reaching tree top level. The airplane's pitch attitude continued to increase until a stall occurred at an approximate altitude of 50 to 75 feet above the ground. The airplane's nose dropped and contacted the ground, about 40 feet right of the runway centerline, in a steep nose down attitude. The airplane nosed over. The on scene investigation did not reveal any airplane anomalies. The engine primer shaft was found sheared in the full out position lying on the ceiling of the airplane. Other debris, including a pen, small wrench, and window cleaning solution, were also found on the airplane's ceiling above the pilot's seat.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7578B
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7EC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 77
- Engine
- Continental 12F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Irvin And Margaret Baker
- Registered owner
- Irvin And Margaret Baker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 9, 1992 · 1 hours before
- Airport
- 69N · Slatington Airport, runway 19, 2,520 × 30 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 16,856 total · 900 in this make and model · 14,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABE, 8 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7578B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.