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20120901027659A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Aeronca 7AC · Brighton, MI · September 1, 2012

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
September 1, 2012 · 08:30 local
Place
Brighton, MI
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N82383
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN12FA601
Reported as
Aeronca 7AC
Reported engine
Continental A&C65 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
2,686 total138 in this make and model11 in the last 90 days
N82383Registration cancelled Jan 9, 2018 · Aeronca 7ACS/N 7AC-1016 · Built 1946Airframe 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.

Witnesses near the north end of the airport stated that the engine run-up and take-off on runway 22 sounded and appeared normal. Witnesses at the south end of the airport (departure end or runway 22)stated that the engine sounded like it was not producing full power and the aircraft did not climb above the trees south of the airport. One witness described seeing the aircraft turning back towards the airport then "nose dive" into the swamp. The aircraft impacted a swampy area approximately 300 yards southeast of the departure runway in a nose down right wing low atttitude. The aircraft came to rest opposite the direction of flight that the witness described it traveling prior to "nose diving".examination of the aircraft and engine did not reveal any pre impact issues. Flight control continuity was confirmed at the scene, fuel was present in the fuel system and oil was in the engine. The temperature at the time of take-off was 66 degrees f and the dewpoint was 55 degrees f. the carburetor ice probability chart for those conditions showed carburetor ice as extremely possible. At request of the NTSB, the engine was started and it ran at idle power using all parts from the engine except for magneto harness' that were damaged beyond repair during the accident.

As the FAA filed it

WITNESSES NEAR THE NORTH END OF THE AIRPORT STATED THAT THE ENGINE RUN-UP AND TAKE-OFF ON RUNWAY 22 SOUNDED AND APPEARED NORMAL. WITNESSES AT THE SOUTH END OF THE AIRPORT (DEPARTURE END OR RUNWAY 22)STATED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS NOT PRODUCING FULL POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT CLIMB ABOVE THE TREES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. ONE WITNESS DESCRIBED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT TURNING BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT THEN "NOSE DIVE" INTO THE SWAMP.THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A SWAMPY AREA APPROXIMATELY 300 YARDS SOUTHEAST OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY IN A NOSE DOWN RIGHT WING LOW ATTTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT THAT THE WITNESS DESCRIBED IT TRAVELING PRIOR TO "NOSE DIVING".EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE IMPACT ISSUES. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED AT THE SCENE, FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND OIL WAS IN THE ENGINE.THE TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF TAKE-OFF WAS 66 DEGREES F AND THE DEWPOINT WAS 55 DEGREES F. THE CARBURETOR ICE PROBABILITY CHART FOR THOSE CONDITIONS SHOWED CARBURETOR ICE AS EXTREMELY POSSIBLE.AT REQUEST OF THE NTSB, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND IT RAN AT IDLE POWER USING ALL PARTS FROM THE ENGINE EXCEPT FOR MAGNETO HARNESS' THAT WERE DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR DURING THE ACCIDENT.

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 CEN12FA601Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportBrighton, MIThe pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed following a partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of airplane control. Contributing to the severity of…Sep 1, 2012 · Substantial damage