# NTSB CEN26LA088: Aeronca 7AC, N85018, Early, TX, January 11, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Investigation open
- Date: January 11, 2026, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place: Early, TX · 31.7795250, -98.9092861
- Coordinates: 31.779525, -98.909286 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.7795&lon=-98.9093&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Lubbock FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202284
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA088
- Latest NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202284/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA088

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Aeronca 7AC, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2110102), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N85018](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N85018), registered now, S/N 7AC-3743, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AERONCA 7AC
- Registry model: [Aeronca 7AC](https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7ac) (registry code 2110102) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental C85 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (registry code 17008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 7AC-3743
- Year built: 1946
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: 10XS, Early, TX
- Destination: 10XS, Early, TX
- Airport: 10XS, Flying S Air Ranch Airport, runway 17, 2,700 × 75 ft, grass/turf

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter: 30.49 inHg
- Observed at: KBWD, 2 nm away
- METAR: METAR KBWD 112155Z AUTO 09005KT 10SM CLR 16/M09 A3049 RMK AO2 T01651088 $

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
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.