On May 11, 2002, an Aeronca 7FC (registration N85258) was involved in an aviation accident near Neenah, WI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot not maintaining control of the airplane during the landing approach, and his failure to maintain clearance from terrain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane was damaged after impacting terrain about 200 feet short of the runway during a landing approach. The pilot reported no memory of the final moments before impact. A postaccident examination found no preexisting anomalies.
Accident Description
During a landing approach, the airplane sustained damage when it struck terrain approximately 200 feet short of the designated runway. The pilot stated that the aircraft impacted the ground about 10 yards before a row of trees. He further reported that he did not remember anything between being on final approach and being extracted from the airplane.
Examination Findings
A postaccident examination of the airplane was conducted. The examination revealed no anomalies that could be determined to have existed prior to the impact.
Pilot Report
In his account, the pilot described the approach and the subsequent impact, but noted a gap in his recollection from the final approach segment until after the accident. No further details regarding the pilot's actions or the surrounding circumstances were provided in the investigation materials.