# Accident 19980519010259A: Bbavia 7AC, Sheridan, AR, May 19, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 19, 1998, 19:00 local time
- Place: Sheridan, AR
- Airport: Sheridan Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Starting Engines
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.3005° N, 92.3991° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3005&lon=-92.3991&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3504E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3504E) (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 C858
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 480 total, 9 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA233](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA233) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980519010259A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES FOLLOWING AN INADVERTENT ENGINE START. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE TANDEM AIRPLANE WAS POSITIONED ON A TAXIWAY WITH THE RIGHT WHEEL CHOCKED AND HIS WIFE SEATED IN THE REAR SEAT WITH HER SEATBELT FASTENED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE BY 'HAND PROPPING' SEVERAL TIMES, BUT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. HE THOUGHT THAT HE HAD 'FLOODED' THE ENGINE AND DECIDED TO CLEAR THE ENGINE BY TURNING THE PROPELLER AGAIN WITH THE MAGENTO OFF, FUEL VALVE CLOSED, AND THROTTLE FULL OPEN. THE PILOT THINKS HE MISTAKENLY TURNED THE MAGNETO ON, WHICH RESULTED IN THE ENGINE STARTING WHEN HE BEGAN TURNING THE PROPELLER. (-23) ON MAY 19, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 HRS LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT, WHILE ATTEMPTED TO HAND PROP HIS AIRCRAFT, APPARENTLY FLOODED THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CLEAR THE FLOODED SITUATION BY PLACING THE THROTTLE TO THE FULL ON POSITION AND THE MAG SWITCH TO THE OFF POSITION. THE PILOT APPARENTLY FAILED TO COMPLETELY PLACE THE MAG SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ROTATED THE ENGINE BY HAND TO CLEAR THE FLOODED ENVIRONMENT, THE ENGINE STARTED, THE AIRCRAFT ACHIEVED FULL POWER, JUMPED THE CHALK                                    S PLACED UNDER THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AND PROCEEDED DOWN THE TAXIWAY. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO PHYSICALLY RETRIEVE THE RIGHT-HAND WING STRUT, APPLY ENOUGH REAR PRESSURE TO CAUSE THE AIRCRAFT TO LEAVE THE TAXIWAY AND IMPACT VEGETATION ADJACENT TO THE TAXIWAY STOPPING THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT'S WIFE, WHO WAS LOCATED IN THE REAR SEAT, WAS NOT INJURED. VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED.

## 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 FTW98LA233](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA233), May 20, 1998: Aeronca 7AC (N3504E), Sheridan, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadvertent engine start due to the pilot's failure to ensure that the magneto switch was in the OFF position when he was attempting to clear the flooded engine. A factor was the pilot's improper…

## Other reports on N3504E (1)

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

- [Accident 19791011030929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19791011030929A), Oct 11, 1979: Blanca 7AC (N3504E), Brookport, IL, Substantial damage. Student pilot with passenger allowed aircraft to stall during a climbing turn. Altitude not obtained.

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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