20160430004869A

ON APRIL 30, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 1040 EDT, N7620B AN AERONCA CHAMPION S/N 7BCM-384 DEPARTED FALCON FIELD (KFFC) FOR RECREATIONAL FLYING IN THE LOCAL AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 BY THE AMERICAN AIRPOWER HERITAGE FLYING MUSEUM WITH TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD. TEN MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A GRASSY FIELD THAT WAS PART OF A GAS PIPE LINE RIGHT AWAY IN TYRONE, GEORGIA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.

AN INSPECTOR FROM THE ATLANTA FSDO WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ACCIDENT ON APRIL 30, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 A.M. AND WAS DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE. ON ARRIVAL THE INSPECTOR WAS MET BY THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT AND THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, AND WAS QUICKLY ESCORTED TO THE WRECKAGE SITE. A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING LANDING. THE DAMAGE CONSISTED OF BENT STRUCTURAL TUBES ALONG THE FRONT AND UNDERSIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. THE LANDING GEAR HAD BEEN CRUSHED AND SEVERELY DAMAGED WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE FRAME. THE PROPELLER DISPLAYED BEND CHARACTERISTICS NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH A PROP THAT WAS MAKING POWER ON IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD A CURRENT REGISTRATION AND AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE ON BOARD. A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LOG BOOKS SHOWED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD RECEIVED A CURRENT ANNUAL AND 100 HOUR INSPECTION ON 6 OCT 15 WITH NO DEFICIENCIES NOTED AND ALL AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH. AN EXAMINATION OF THE PILOT?S CREDENTIALS SHOWED THAT HE HAD A CURRENT SECOND CLASS MEDICAL WITH AN ATP/FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR/GROUND INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATE AND NO PREVIOUS VIOLATIONS.

DURING THE INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT, HE STATED THAT 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF FROM KFFC HE WAS HEADED SOUTH OF FAYETTEVILLE AT 3000 MSL WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND THE RPM DROPPED TO 2,000. TO TRY AND CORRECT THE ISSUE HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT WITH NO CHANGE IN RPM. HE THEN TURNED OFF CARBURETOR HEAT AS HE CYCLED BOTH MAGNETOS WITH NO CHANGE IN POWER. REALIZING THAT NOTHING WAS HELPING AND HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE AIRPORT, HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO SAFELY LAND THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOCATED A GRASSY PIPELINE STRIP AND DECIDED TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN IN THAT SPOT. UPON LANDING THE PILOT DECIDED TO DO A WHEEL LANDING TO PLANT THE MAIN WHEELS ON THE GROUND AND LOWER THE TAIL AS SPEED SLOWED DOWN. HOWEVER, WHEN THE WHEELS BEGAN TO TOUCH THE HAY, HE REALIZED THE HAY WAS VERY TALL AND WITHIN SECONDS THE WHEELS WERE BEING RETARDED BY THE HIGH GRASS. ALMOST INSTANTLY THE WHEELS WERE CAUGHT BY THE GRASS AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLAMMED TO THE GROUND CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EVACUATE HIMSELF AND THE PASSENGER SAFELY. AT THE APPROVAL OF THE NTSB THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRANSPORTED TO A PRIVATE HANGER OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE AT FALCON FIELD (KFFC).

ON MAY 12, 2016 AN INSPECTOR FROM THE ATLANTA FSDO AND A MEMBER OF THE NTSB TRAVELLED TO FALCON FIELD TO PERFORM AN ASSESSMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE. THERE WERE NO DEFICIENCIES NOTED WITH THE ENGINE OR AIRCRAFT.

BASED ON A REVIEW OF THE ICING CONDITIONS GRAPH CHART WITH AN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE OF 80 DEGREES F AND A DEW POINT OF 63 DEGREES F WITH A 60% RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THAT COULD HAVE PUT THE AIRCRAFT IN AN ICING CONDITION AT GLIDE AND CRUISE POWER RANGE.