19971123034289A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bbavia 7AC · Urbana, OH · November 23, 1997

Date: November 23, 1997 · 11:04 local
Place: Urbana, OH
Airport: Grimes Field Airport
Phase of flight: Starting Engines
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N83101
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC98LA031
Reported as: Bbavia 7AC
Reported engine: Continental A658
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 913 total114 in this make and model34 in the last 90 days

N83101Registered now · Aeronca 7ACS/N 7AC-1758 · Built 1946 Airframe modelAeronca 7AC Engine modelContinental A&C65 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

At I74 hand started 7AC. It took off sans pilot climbed to FL120. Ran out of fuel after airborne nearly 2HRS. (-23) on November 30, 1997 Mr. Sirks attempted to start aircraft by hand propping it. The aircraft started and became airborne. The airplane remained airborne for approximately 90 minutes. It was substantially damaged during landing in an open field near tiverton, Ohio. Y.4)during final approach to landing, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power. He completed the landing to the runway and taxied to the infield to attempt a restart. The pilot placed one wheel chock in front of the right main gear, set the engine power controls, and attempted the restart by hand propping. After the second attempt, the pilot released the propeller and stepped away from the airplane. The airplane's engine backfired, started, and the airplane departed the airport unmanned. The airplane flew 1 hour and 48 minutes until it lost engine power, descended, and crashed into a bean field.

As the FAA filed it

AT I74 HAND STARTED 7AC. IT TOOK OFF SANS PILOT CLIMBED TO FL120. RAN OUT OF FUEL AFTER AIRBORNE NEARLY 2HRS. (-23) ON NOVEMBER 30, 1997 MR. SIRKS ATTEMPTED TO START AIRCRAFT BY HAND PROPPING IT. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED AND BECAME AIRBORNE. THE AIRPLANE REMAINED AIRBORNE FOR APPROXIMATELY 90 MINUTES. IT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD NEAR TIVERTON, OHIO. Y.4)DURING FINAL APPROACH TO LANDING, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE COMPLETED THE LANDING TO THE RUNWAY AND TAXIED TO THE INFIELD TO ATTEMPT A RESTART. THE PILOT PLACED ONE WHEEL CHOCK IN FRONT OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR, SET THE ENGINE POWER CONTROLS, AND ATTEMPTED THE RESTART BY HAND PROPPING. AFTER THE SECOND ATTEMPT, THE PILOT RELEASED THE PROPELLER AND STEPPED AWAY FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE BACKFIRED, STARTED, AND THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE AIRPORT UNMANNED. THE AIRPLANE FLEW 1 HOUR AND 48 MINUTES UNTIL IT LOST ENGINE POWER, DESCENDED, AND CRASHED INTO A BEAN FIELD.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC98LA031Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTiverton, OHthe pilot's failure to properly set the airplane controls prior to hand propping. Factors in the accident were the pilot's failure to properly chock the wheels and his decision to leave the cockpit unmanned during start.Nov 23, 1997 · Destroyed