How many Aeronca 7ACs are registered in the US?

1,840, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Aeronca 7AC built?

From about 1945 to 1952. Half of those registered today were built by 1946.

What engine does the Aeronca 7AC have?

Most have the Continental A65 (80% of those registered); others have the Continental C85, Continental A75, Continental C90.

How many accidents has the Aeronca 7AC had?

85 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 14 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of control on ground. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.

How many Airworthiness Directives does the Aeronca 7AC have?

7 current ADs name the 7AC airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 10 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Aeronca 7AC Champ

1,840 registered in the US, built from about 1945 to 1952, 2 seats, most with the Continental A65. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 1,840
Built: 1945 to 1952
Half built by: 1946
Seats: 2
Engine type: Piston
Most common engine: Continental A65

Engines installed

Continental A651,470 aircraft (80%)
Continental C85141 aircraft (8%) · 4 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
Continental A7562 aircraft (3%) · 1 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
Continental C9045 aircraft (2%) · 5 ADs, 0 with a repeat action

From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.

Airworthiness Directives

7 current ADs name the 7AC airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 1 more were superseded. Its engines carry 10 more. 4 equipment ADs name the model.

The ones that come back

ADs with a repeat action: an inspection or replacement at an interval, for as long as the AD applies. These are the airworthiness costs an owner keeps paying.

2000-25-02 R1American Champion Aircraft Corporation 7, 8, and 11 Series AirplanesAirplaneSupersedes 2000-25-02Repeat actionJun 6, 2001

Every AD for the Aeronca 7AC

Accident record

85 accidents since 2008, 14 fatal (19 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 4 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Loss of control on ground29
Loss of control in flight12
Aerodynamic stall/spin8
Loss of engine power (total)5
Fuel related4
System or component failure (not the engine)3

Phase of flight

Landing29
Takeoff15
Maneuvering10
Initial climb10
Enroute10

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-09-24	Hesperia, CA	Unknown: Loss of control in flight	Fatal	WPR26FA355
2026-07-07	Buffalo, WY	Approach: Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)	None	WPR26LA250
2026-01-11	Early, TX	Landing: Loss of control on ground	None	CEN26LA088
2025-09-01	Firebaugh, CA	Landing: System or component failure (not the engine)	None	WPR25LA300
2025-08-06	Willow, AK	Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin	Serious	ANC25LA084
2025-06-07	Waterman, IL	Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight	Fatal	CEN25FA198

From the NTSB's aviation accident database, refreshed monthly; accidents only, homebuilts left out. Counts, not rates: nobody publishes how many hours each model flies, and a training fleet flies far more than a private one. Look up any case by its number in the NTSB's CAROL.

What it costs to run

Per hour flown

Hours flown a yearhr/yrFuel burngal/hrTypical cruise; your POH and how you fly decide it.Fuel price$/galEngine overhaul$A quote from an engine shop.Hours to overhaulhrThe engine maker's published time between overhauls.Maintenance reserve$/hrEverything else that wears: tires, brakes, avionics, the unexpected.

Per year, flown or not

Insurance$/yrHangar or tiedown$/yrAnnual inspection$/yrLoan payments$/yrEverything else$/yrSubscriptions, database updates, the property tax some states charge.

Fuel: $0/hr
Engine reserve: $0/hr
A year: $0
All in, per hour: $0/hr

Filled in for a Aeronca 7AC with the Continental A65: a typical cruise fuel burn and the engine maker's published overhaul time. Everything else is yours to fill in: insurance, hangar and overhaul prices vary too much by pilot, airport and shop for a default to mean anything. Nothing you type leaves this page.

Before you buy one

Run its N-number through the AD check: every AD that names its airframe and engine, as a checklist to take to the logbooks.
For each repeat-action AD (1 on the airframe), find the last compliance in the logbooks and when the next one is due.
Compare the engine's time since overhaul with its maker's published overhaul time, and look for the reason behind any long gap in flying.
4 equipment ADs name the 7AC (a muffler, a seat belt, a display): find out which of that equipment is installed.
Check the registration, the airworthiness certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
Work out the sales or use tax your state will charge with the aircraft tax calculator.

Questions

How many Aeronca 7ACs are registered in the US?: 1,840, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Aeronca 7AC built?: From about 1945 to 1952. Half of those registered today were built by 1946.
What engine does the Aeronca 7AC have?: Most have the Continental A65 (80% of those registered); others have the Continental C85, Continental A75, Continental C90.
How many accidents has the Aeronca 7AC had?: 85 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 14 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of control on ground. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
How many Airworthiness Directives does the Aeronca 7AC have?: 7 current ADs name the 7AC airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 10 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Figures from the FAA aircraft registry and the FAA's Airworthiness Directives, rebuilt daily. An AD listed for a model is one to read; whether it applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number, equipment and records.