20021124036239A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bbavia 7AC · Cocoa, FL · November 24, 2002

Date: November 24, 2002 · 11:45 local
Place: Cocoa, FL
Airport: Merritt Island Airport
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4264E
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL03LA019
Reported as: Bbavia 7AC
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 300 total230 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

N4264ERegistered now · Aeronca 7ACS/N 7AC-7161 · Built 1947 Airframe modelAeronca 7AC Engine modelContinental A&C65 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.

(-23) I observed the last 1/4 mile final approach and touchdown. From there the aircraft went out of my view. From about 1/4 mile final the aircraft was slow and in a very high nose-up attitude. It was a 3 point landing flare and full stall from about 25 or 30 feet above the ground. The aircraft touched down very hard and in a drift to the right. Witnesses said that the aircraft bounced severely and appeared that it was going to cartwheel. The aircraft left the runway to the right. There was serious damage to the aft fuselage (twisted) and to the left horizontal stabilizer. There was slight damage to both wing tip. The landing gear was twisted and partially collapsed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) I OBSERVED THE LAST 1/4 MILE FINAL APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN. FROM THERE THE AIRCRAFT WENT OUT OF MY VIEW. FROM ABOUT 1/4 MILE FINAL THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLOW AND IN A VERY HIGH NOSE-UP ATTITUDE. IT WAS A 3 POINT LANDING FLARE AND FULL STALL FROM ABOUT 25 OR 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN VERY HARD AND IN A DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. WITNESSES SAID THAT THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED SEVERELY AND APPEARED THAT IT WAS GOING TO CARTWHEEL. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT. THERE WAS SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE AFT FUSELAGE (TWISTED) AND TO THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THERE WAS SLIGHT DAMAGE TO BOTH WING TIP. THE LANDING GEAR WAS TWISTED AND PARTIALLY COLLAPSED.

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 ATL03LA019Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMerritt Island, FLThe pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during an approach to land that resulted in an inflight collision with the runway. A factor was the crosswind condition.Nov 24, 2002 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4264E · 1

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

Accident 20050418006609ATo Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) · Lakeland, FL(-23) Upon landing with a quarterly x wind from the left, witnesses stated, "the aircraft left wing rose lifting the left wheel and causing the aircraft to weather vane to the left into the wind. The a/c left the runway (09L) and rolled into a ditch. The…Apr 18, 2005 · Substantial damage