What happened
On April 10, 2025, at 0904 central daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, registration N83952, was involved in an accident near Cape Fair, Missouri. The flight, operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use, resulted in 1 fatality and 1 serious injury.
GPS data retrieved from a Stratus receiver in the wreckage indicated the flight began at 0842 from the pilot's private grass airstrip. The flight path consisted of a non-descript pattern consistent with a pleasure flight. The aircraft approached the accident site from the south, executed a right turn toward the southeast, and then a left turn toward the southwest. During the final stage of the left turn, the aircraft descended and flew down a valley. High-voltage powerlines crossed this valley perpendicular to the flight path.
A witness working on a pond construction nearby reported seeing the aircraft fly over and initially believing it had left the area. A few minutes later, the witness observed the aircraft crash on his property underneath the powerlines. Although the powerlines were struck by the aircraft, they had not fallen to the ground at the time of the event.
The investigation
Mechanical examination of the aircraft at the accident site confirmed the flight control system was continuous from the cockpit to the control surfaces. The engine examination showed the crankshaft rotated without difficulty, and cylinder compression, suction, and valve train continuity were verified. While impact damage to the spark plug leads prevented spark at the plugs, spark was observed for all cylinders on both magnetos when leads were trimmed at the distributor caps. The carburetor contained fuel with no sediment present. No preimpact anomalies were found in the engine or airframe.