NTSB ATL85LA144 — 1985-04-21 · GERMANTOWN, Kentucky, United States

Current FAA registration · N85652

Make / Model: AERONCA 7AC
Year of manufacture: 1946 · 39 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES (65 hp)
Seats / Engines: 2 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S ABC0C4

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N85652 Bellanca 7AC None

Factual narrative

DURING CRUISE FLT OVER HILLY TERRAIN, THE PLT NOTED A POWER LOSS THAT HE DESCRIBED AS THE ENG 'DYING BACK AND THEN CATCHING AGAIN.' HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT & SELECTED A FIELD FOR A LANDING. DURING THE APCH, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR & PROP HIT 2 POWER LINES. THE POWER LINES BROKE & THE ACFT CONTINUED FLYING. HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT SWERVED & WAS FURTHER DAMAGED. AN EXAM OF THE FUEL TANK REVEALED THAT THE COATING INSIDE THE TANK HAD BEGUN FLAKING & FLAKES HAD PARTIALLY OBSTRUCTED A FUEL SCREEN. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_ATL85LA144.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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