20150624023749A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Aeronca 7AC · East Moriches, NY · June 24, 2015

Date: June 24, 2015 · 17:30 local
Place: East Moriches, NY
Airport: Lufker
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N84927
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA15LA251
Reported as: Aeronca 7AC
Reported engine: Continental A&C65 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 120 total12 in this make and model2 in the last 90 days

N84927Registration cancelled Jun 21, 2023 · Aeronca 7ACS/N 3649 · Built 1946 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.

Pilot states that he departed the airport with a direct crosswind. He began to drift to the left side of the runway. As he started to correct for the drift, he believes he may have encountered wake turbulence from an aircraft that departed ahead of him. He believes this may have caused the aircraft to roll to the right. The left wing hit a tree on the right side of the runway and the aircraft fell to the ground (approx. 10 feet). The pilot and passenger exited the aircraft post accident. The pilot made statement that the accident was entirely pilot error and their were no mechanical or other factors involved.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATES THAT HE DEPARTED THE AIRPORT WITH A DIRECT CROSSWIND. HE BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. AS HE STARTED TO CORRECT FOR THE DRIFT, HE BELIEVES HE MAY HAVE ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE FROM AN AIRCRAFT THAT DEPARTED AHEAD OF HIM. HE BELIEVES THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT. THE LEFT WING HIT A TREE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT FELL TO THE GROUND (APPROX. 10 FEET). THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRCRAFT POST ACCIDENT. THE PILOT MADE STATEMENT THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS ENTIRELY PILOT ERROR AND THEIR WERE NO MECHANICAL OR OTHER FACTORS INVOLVED.

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 ERA15LA251Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEast Moriches, NYThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control while taking off in a crosswind, which resulted in a collision with a tree.Jun 24, 2015 · Substantial damage