# Accident 19990827026279A: Bbavia 11AC, Watervliet, MI, August 27, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 27, 1999, 20:00 local time
- Place: Watervliet, MI
- Airport: Watervliet Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.1790° N, 86.2504° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1790&lon=-86.2504&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9404E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9404E) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aeronca 11AC (registry code 0191102, https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-11ac) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BBAVIA 11AC
- Reported engine: CONT A658
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99LA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA318) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990827026279A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON AUGUST 27, 1999, AT 2015 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), AN AERONCA 11BC, N9404E, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN ON TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 02 (2,600 FEET BY 200 FEET, DRY GRASS/TURF) AT THE WATERVLIET MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, WATERVLIET, MICHIGAN, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, PORPOISED, AND IMPACTED ON THE RUNWAY.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91.  NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE.  THE PILOT AND PASSENGER ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE REPORTED NO INJURIES.  THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED 2-3 TIMES ON THE RUNWAY, AND THEN THE LANDING GEAR AND PROPELLER BROKE. THE PASSENGER ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE STATED THAT "UPON LIFTOFF, THE AIRPLANE BALLOONED OFF OF THE RUNWAY.  WE CAME BACK DOWN AND BOUNCED ONCE, KIND OF PORPOISED TWICE, AND CAME BACK DOWN, AND THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED." A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AT THE WATERVLIET MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.  THE AIRPLANE'S MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS FOLDED REARWARD UNDERNEATH THE AIRPLANE'S F USELAGE. BOTH MAIN GEAR STRUTS WERE BROKEN AFT FROM THE LANDING GEAR BOX, JUST BEHIND THE AIRPLANE'S FIREWALL.  THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FIREWALL WAS BENT AFT.  THE BOTTOM FORWARD FUSELAGE SKIN WAS CRUSHED UPWARD.  THE AIRPLANE'S WOOD PROPELLER WAS BROKEN AND SPLINTERED.  FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED.  EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE, ENGINE CONTROLS, AND OTHER AIRPLANE SYSTEMS REVEALED NO ANOMALIES.                              (-23)PILOT LOST CONTROL OF A/C ON TD.  A/C BOUNCED AND RIPPED LANDING GEAR OFF.  PROP LOST 12 INCHES ON EACH SIDE.  NO INJURIES TO PILOT OF PASSENGER.

## 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 CHI99LA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA318), Aug 28, 1999: Aeronca 11BC (N9404E), Watervliet, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot not maintaining aircraft control during takeoff, and the pilot not correcting for the porpoise.

## Other reports on N9404E (1)

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

- [Accident 20170616009409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170616009409A), Jun 16, 2017: Aeronca 11AC (N9404E), Watervliet, MI, Substantial damage. On June 16, 2016 at 19:22 eastern daylight time (EDT), an Aeronca 11-AC aircraft, N9404E, registered to edward m. maloney and operated by a flight instructor…

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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