# Accident 19971123034289A: Bbavia 7AC, Urbana, OH, November 23, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 23, 1997, 11:04 local time
- Place: Urbana, OH
- Airport: Grimes Field Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Starting Engines
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.4701° N, 82.1895° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4701&lon=-82.1895&mi=10
- Aircraft: N83101, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N83101) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aeronca 7AC (registry code 2110102, https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7ac) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BBAVIA 7AC
- Reported engine: CONT A658
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 913 total, 114 in this make and model, 34 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC98LA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA031) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971123034289A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC98LA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA031), Nov 23, 1997: Aeronca 7AC (N83101), Tiverton, OH, destroyed. Probable cause: the 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…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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