# Accident 19980310002889A: Bbavia 7AC, Lone Pine, CA, March 10, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 10, 1998, 09:00 local time
- Place: Lone Pine, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.5599° N, 118.0497° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.5599&lon=-118.0497&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1659E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1659E) (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 C908F
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 350 total, 85 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA111) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980310002889A

## Narrative

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

LOST POWER ON CLIMB TO CRUISE. LANDED IN MEADOW. LANDING GEAR FOLDED. FOUND BOTH MAGNETOS WERE VERY LOOSE. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED THROUGH ABOUT 3,000 FEET AGL THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MISFIRE, THEN LOST ALMOST ALL POWER.  FOLLOWING AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO RESTORE NORMAL ENGINE POWER, THE PILOT SET UP FOR A GLIDE TOWARD AN ABANDONED AIRFIELD.  WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO MAKE THE AIRFIELD, THE PILOT LANDED IN A PASTURE AND COLLIDED WITH BUSHES AND HIDDEN OBSTACLES IN THE GRASS.  BOTH MAGNETOS WERE FOUND LOOSE IN THEIR CLAMPS BY TECHNICIANS FROM AN AIRCRAFT RECOVERY FIRM WHO RETRIEVED THE WRECKAGE. LOGBOOK REVIEW DISCLOSED THAT THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 67 HOURS SINCE A MAJOR OVERHAUL, WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED MAY 1, 1997.  THIS WAS THE LAST MAINTENANCE RECORDED IN THE LOGBOOKS.                                          (-23)UNEVENTFUL FLIGHT TO LONE PINE CA (O26) FOR FUEL STOP.  REFUELED WITH 100LL.  ENGINE OIL WAS CHECKED AND A FUEL SAMPLE TAKEN.  PIC PERFORMED A PRE-TAKEOFF CHECK, THE MAGNETO'S AND CARURETOR HEAT WERE NORMAL WITH RPM DROPS AT 1700RMP.  TAKE OFF WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 8:30AM.  CLIMBED NW AT 65MPH A                                           IRSPEED. AT APRROXIMATELY 8:55AM, ALTITUDE 8000FT ABOUT NW OF LONE PINE, ATTITUDE ALIMBING AT ABOUT 65 TO 70 MPH THE ENGINE STARTED TO MISSFIRE AND INSTANTLY LOST MOST OF ITS POWER.  CARBUREOTR HEAT IS SWITCHED ON AND PIC TRIED MAGNETO SWITCH IN ALL POSITIONS AS WELL AS TRYING DIFFERNET THROTTLE SETTINGS.  THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY ABOUT A 1/2 MINUTE AFTER INITIAL PROBLEMS.  PIC ESTABLISHED A GLIDE TOWARD AN ABONDONED AIRFIELD 10 NAUTICAL MILES NNW OF LONE PINE.  DID NOT MAKE THE AIRFIELD AND LANDED IN A MEADOW OFF HIGHWAY US 395.  ELT DID NOT GO OFF.  AIFCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANCIAL DAMAGE.  LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED ON IMPACT AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO UNDERSIDE OF AIRCRAFT, BENT PROP, LEFT WING STRUT IS BENT AND LEADING EDGE DAMAGE.

## 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 LAX98LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA111), Mar 10, 1998: Aeronca 7AC (N1659E), Lone Pine, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of maintenance personnel to properly tighten the magneto clamps during installation of the engine on the aircraft following engine overhaul.

## Other reports on N1659E (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20170115000389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170115000389A), Jan 15, 2017: Aeronca 7AC (N1659E), Compton, CA, Substantial damage. Aircraft landed on runway 7R approximately mid field. According to pilot statement, the wind had changed when touched down to a crosswind/tail wind. The…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.