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20110901023269A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Aeronca 7AC · Valparaiso, IN · September 1, 2011

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 1, 2011 · 08:00 local
Place
Valparaiso, IN
Airport
Porter Co
Phase of flight
Landing: Rollout
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N83533
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN11LA614
Reported as
Aeronca 7AC
Reported engine
Continental A&C65 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours
2,000 total10 in this make and model80 in the last 90 days
N83533Registered now · Aeronca 7ACS/N 7AC-2209Airframe modelAeronca 7ACEngine 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.

Aircraft was bought on the previous day and was being flown to California from Michigan (6D6). While enroute, pilot elected to stop at kvpz for rest-stop. Upon touch down, tail-wheel began to shimmy with aircraft drifting to right side of runway. Pilot stated that she lifted tail-wheel back off ground and attempted to regain directional control but aircraft continued to drift off to right and departed paved surface of runway. Pilot stated she elected to "just let a/c roll-out & stop", but after traveling approx. 60 feet off right side of paved runway surface, noticed a large drainage ditch. At this point she pulled back on control stick & attempted to fly across ditch. A/c went across ditch and struck opposite embankment causing both main landing gear to collapse, and propeller to strike the ground, severely bending one blade of prop and causing a sudden stoppage of the engine. A/c came to stop and both occupants exited the a/c unijured with no further incident. Tach time on aircraft at time of accident: 586.67....tach time at last annual: 583.8....total time on aircraft as of 9/1/2011: 3233.77.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT WAS BOUGHT ON THE PREVIOUS DAY AND WAS BEING FLOWN TO CALIFORNIA FROM MICHIGAN (6D6). WHILE ENROUTE, PILOT ELECTED TO STOP AT KVPZ FOR REST-STOP. UPON TOUCH DOWN, TAIL-WHEEL BEGAN TO SHIMMY WITH AIRCRAFT DRIFTING TO RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY. PILOT STATED THAT SHE LIFTED TAIL-WHEEL BACK OFF GROUND AND ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BUT AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DRIFT OFF TO RIGHT AND DEPARTED PAVED SURFACE OF RUNWAY. PILOT STATED SHE ELECTED TO "JUST LET A/C ROLL-OUT & STOP", BUT AFTER TRAVELING APPROX. 60 FEET OFF RIGHT SIDE OF PAVED RUNWAY SURFACE, NOTICED A LARGE DRAINAGE DITCH. AT THIS POINT SHE PULLED BACK ON CONTROL STICK & ATTEMPTED TO FLY ACROSS DITCH. A/C WENT ACROSS DITCH AND STRUCK OPPOSITE EMBANKMENT CAUSING BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR TO COLLAPSE, AND PROPELLER TO STRIKE THE GROUND, SEVERELY BENDING ONE BLADE OF PROP AND CAUSING A SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF THE ENGINE. A/C CAME TO STOP AND BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE A/C UNIJURED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. TACH TIME ON AIRCRAFT AT TIME OF ACCIDENT: 586.67....TACH TIME AT LAST ANNUAL: 583.8....TOTAL TIME ON AIRCRAFT AS OF 9/1/2011: 3233.77.

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 CEN11LA614Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportValparaiso, INThe pilot’s loss of directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the wear in the tailwheel assembly.Sep 1, 2011 · Substantial damage