AERONCA 7AC

Full Narrative

On August 5, 2025, about 1600 Alaska daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC airplane, N84726, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at the Willow Airport (UUO) in Willow, Alaska. The student pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a Part 91 personal flight.
The airplane was initially discovered by the pilot of an airplane who was flying over the Willow Airport. That pilot then landed to assist the seriously injured student pilot, and alert first responders of the accident location.
The accident airplane was situated nosed down, in a near vertical attitude on a northwest heading about 75 feet east of the centerline on runway 13, and about 1,000 feet down the runway (see figure 1). The wings remained partially attached and the tail was bent slightly to the left. Control cable continuity from the ailerons, flaps and rudder were intact to the fuselage, and fuel was observed in the nose tank and fuel lines.
The wreckage has been recovered, and an initial postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Additional post-accident wreckage examinations are pending.

Figure 1 Accident airplane