What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On August 3, 2002, at 1000 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, N84546, impacted the terrain following a loss of control during an initial takeoff climb from runway 05 (3,965 feet by 75 feet, dry asphalt) at the tuscola area airport (78D), in Caro, Michigan. The private pilot received serious injuries and a private pilot rated passenger received fatal injuries. The title 14 CFR part 91 personal local flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. Witnesses reported that the airplane climbed to an altitude of about 75 feet after takeoff. It then entered a sharp left turn and descended to impact with the terrain. The airplane came to rest at the top of a 6-foot tall berm approximately 150 feet from the north edge of runway 05. (-23) unknown at this time. The pilot sustained serious injury and is in a local hospital in Caro, MI. There is no reason at this juncture to questionpilot competency. Witnesses stated that during the takeoff and at approximately 75 feet AGL, the aircraft entered a turn to the left, descended into a berm located approximately 300 feet from the left side of the runway. Departure was on runway 05 at the cargo, tuscola muni airport. The aircraft was not equipped with shoulder harnesses, which if installed, may have prevented or lessened the degree of injury. Both the pilot and passenger impacted the instrument panel resulting in head and facial injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON AUGUST 3, 2002, AT 1000 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AERONCA 7AC, N84546, IMPACTED THE TERRAIN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING AN INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB FROM RUNWAY 05 (3,965 FEET BY 75 FEET, DRY ASPHALT) AT THE TUSCOLA AREA AIRPORT (78D), IN CARO, MICHIGAN. THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES AND A PRIVATE PILOT RATED PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL LOCAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 75 FEET AFTER TAKEOFF. IT THEN ENTERED A SHARP LEFT TURN AND DESCENDED TO IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST AT THE TOP OF A 6-FOOT TALL BERM APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET FROM THE NORTH EDGE OF RUNWAY 05. (-23) UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURY AND IS IN A LOCAL HOSPITAL IN CARO, MI. THERE IS NO REASON AT THIS JUNCTURE TO QUESTIONPILOT COMPETENCY. WITNESSES STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF AND AT APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET AGL, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A TURN TO THE LEFT, DESCENDED INTO A BERM LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. DEPARTURE WAS ON RUNWAY 05 AT THE CARGO, TUSCOLA MUNI AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDER HARNESSES, WHICH IF INSTALLED, MAY HAVE PREVENTED OR LESSENED THE DEGREE OF INJURY. BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER IMPACTED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL RESULTING IN HEAD AND FACIAL INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.