# Accident 20091027050679A: Aeronca 7AC, Vanderbuilt, MI, October 27, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 27, 2009, 18:28 local time
- Place: Vanderbuilt, MI
- Airport: Gaylord Regional
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.1406° N, 84.6672° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1406&lon=-84.6672&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2239E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2239E-2018-03-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aeronca 7AC (registry code 2110102, https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7ac) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-200A (registry code 17404, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-200a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AERONCA 7AC
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-200-A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN10LA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA031) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091027050679A

## Narrative

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

ON 10/27/2009, AIRCRAFT WAS TOPPED OFF AT THE GAYLORD, MICHIGAN REGIONAL AIRPORT (GLR).AIRCRAFT WAS TO BE FLOWN ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING LOW, SLOW, AND PERFORMING "ROLLER COASTER" LIKE MANUEVERS BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT WITNESSES. IT WAS OBSERVED FLYING NEAR VANDERBUILT, WALLOON LAKE, THE BEAR RIVER, PETOSKY, AND BOYNE FALLS, MICHIGAN.  IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED TO HAVE BEEN AT AN ALTITUDE OF 200 TO 800 FEET. IT IS ALSO REPORTED BY SOME WITNESSES TO BE GOING "UP AND DOWN" LIKE A ROLLER COASTER.SOME WITNESSES REPORT IT TO BE BE PERFORMING VERY TIGHT TURNS, TRAVELING VERY LOW AND VERY SLOW AND ALMOST HITTING THE TREE TOPS AND/POLE BARNS.  WITNESSES TO THE CRASH REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FLEW LOW AND SLOW TWICE ACROSS INTERSTATE 75 THEN PERFORMED  A RIGHT HAND TURN, TIPPED HIS WINGS, WHILE DROPPING IN ALTITUDE.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN PERFORMED AN ABRUPT RIGHT HAND TURN, SLOWED DOWN, LOST ALTITUDE, THE NOSE THEN DROPPED, AIRCRAFT BANKED AND CORKSCREWED INTO THE GROUND.  THE FIRST RESPONDERS REPORTED "QUITE A BIT" OF FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL LINES.

## 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 CEN10LA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA031), Oct 27, 2009: Aeronca 7AC (N2239E), Gaylord, MI, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a low altitude turn resulting in an aerodynamic stall/spin and loss of control.

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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