OpenAirDocs.org

19980719046409A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Bbavia 7FC · Someville, ME · July 19, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

Date
July 19, 1998 · 19:50 local
Place
Someville, ME
Airport
Somes Pond
Phase of flight
To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N7694E
NTSB investigation
NTSBIAD98LA080
Reported as
Bbavia 7FC
Reported engine
Continental C90*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,500 total20 in the last 90 days
N7694ERegistered now · Champion 7FCS/N 7FC-289Airframe modelChampion 7FCEngine modelContinental C90 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.

(.4)The pilot began a take off in his float plane from a Pond. He said that as the plane lifted off, he was blinded by glare and became disoriented. The pilot attempted to abort the takeoff, lost directional control, and struck a tree on an island in the Pond. The pilot reported the airplane had no mechanical deficiencies and the accident could have been avoided by departing in another direction, away from the sun. The pilot reported he had not completed a biennial flight review in 6 years and that 4 years had transpired since his last FAA physical examination. (-23) on late afternoon, July 19, 1998, while taking off from sommes Pond, the aircraft lifted off about 1/2 way down the Pond. When it lifted, the sun shown directly in the eyes of the pilot. He did have on glasses or prescription sunglasses. The pilot felt disoriented from being blinded by the sun. He pulled back on the power and felt a strong gust lift the wing driving him sidewards. The right wing struck a tree on the south bank of the island, causing both spars in the wing to break. The airplane crashed into the water at the edge of the island.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE PILOT BEGAN A TAKE OFF IN HIS FLOAT PLANE FROM A POND. HE SAID THAT AS THE PLANE LIFTED OFF, HE WAS BLINDED BY GLARE AND BECAME DISORIENTED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND STRUCK A TREE ON AN ISLAND IN THE POND. THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE HAD NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES AND THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY DEPARTING IN ANOTHER DIRECTION, AWAY FROM THE SUN. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD NOT COMPLETED A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW IN 6 YEARS AND THAT 4 YEARS HAD TRANSPIRED SINCE HIS LAST FAA PHYSICAL EXAMINATION. (-23) ON LATE AFTERNOON, JULY 19, 1998, WHILE TAKING OFF FROM SOMMES POND, THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF ABOUT 1/2 WAY DOWN THE POND. WHEN IT LIFTED, THE SUN SHOWN DIRECTLY IN THE EYES OF THE PILOT. HE DID HAVE ON GLASSES OR PRESCRIPTION SUNGLASSES. THE PILOT FELT DISORIENTED FROM BEING BLINDED BY THE SUN. HE PULLED BACK ON THE POWER AND FELT A STRONG GUST LIFT THE WING DRIVING HIM SIDEWARDS. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE ON THE SOUTH BANK OF THE ISLAND, CAUSING BOTH SPARS IN THE WING TO BREAK. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO THE WATER AT THE EDGE OF THE ISLAND.

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 IAD98LA080Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSomesville, METhe pilot's inadequate planning and decision, which fail to consider the effect of takeoff in the direction of the sunlight, which resulted in the pilot encountering sunglare and the loss of aircraft control.Jul 19, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7694E · 2

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

Accident 20060218002299AForced/Precautionary Landing · Dover-Foxcroft, ME(-23) Pilot reported that after takeoff and on climb at approximately 1,000 to 1100 feet altitude, the engine quit. The pilot stated that several attempts to restart the engine was made with no success. Subsequently the left wing hit trees and the nose of the…Feb 18, 2006 · Substantial damageIncident 19810503030349ILevel Off Touchdown · Dexter, MEAircraft ground looped on landing. Pilot not familiar with this type of aircraft.May 3, 1981 · Minor damage