# Accident 20160611021269A: Aeronca 7AC, East St. Louis, IL, June 11, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 11, 2016, 12:00 local time
- Place: East St. Louis, IL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.6167° N, 90.1333° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6167&lon=-90.1333&mi=10
- Aircraft: N82694, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N82694) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aeronca 7AC (registry code 2110102, https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7ac) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AERONCA 7AC
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN16LA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA218) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160611021269A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM SACKMAN FIELD ILLINOIS (KH49) FOR A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE OIL TEMP AND PRESSURE WERE NORMAL (180 DEGREES AND THE PRESSURE WAS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN HALF WAY INTO THE GREEN ARC). ABOUT 2 OR 3 MILE AFTER THAT THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE SHOOK AND MADE A RATTLING SOUND, THEN THE PROP STOPPED ALL WITHIN ONE SECOND.

THE PILOT SPOTTED A ROAD THAT LOOKED TO BE CLOSED AND HEADED FOR IT. HE HAD TO GO UNDER A SET OF POWER LINES. THEN HE NOTICED AN OVERPASS THAT HAD A FENCE ON BOTH SIDES OF IT THAT APPEARED THAT THE WINGS WOULD NOT CLEAR, SO HE EXTENDED THE GLIDE PASS IT. HE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE OVERPASS.  ON ROLLOUT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A ROW OF BARRICADES FIRST, AND THEN THE LEFT WING HIT A POLE. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRCRAFT THEN ?GROUND LOOPED?. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST WHEN THE LEFT ELEVATOR HIT A POLE, CAUSING THE EMPENNAGE TO BE PUSHED 90 DEGREES TOWARD THE LEFT WING.

AT THE ACCIDENT SIGHT THE INSPECTOR TOOK MEASUREMENT. HE STARTED AT THE OVERPASS AND WALKED IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL UNTIL HE FOUND SOME OIL ON THE ROAD. HE STARTED MEASURING FROM THERE. 58 FT. LATER THE INSPECTOR FOUND WHERE THE PLANE INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN. THEN IT WAS 75 FT. UNTIL THE BARRICADES. ANOTHER 28 FT., HE NOTICED A SIGN THAT WAS BENT. THERE WAS PAINT THAT WAS THE SAME COLOR OF THE PLANE ON THE POLE ABOUT THE SAME HEIGHT OF WHAT THE WING WOULD BE. THE AIRCRAFT WENT ANOTHER 169 FT. BEFORE IT MADE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER SIGN.  AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOVING BACKWARDS, THE LEFT ELEVATOR MADE CONTACT WITH POLE AND PUSHED THE WHOLE EMPENNAGE 90 DEGREES TOWARD THE LEFT WING.

WHEN THE COWL WAS REMOVED TO INSPECT THE ENGINE, THE INSPECTORS FOUND A SEVERELY DAMAGED ENGINE BLOCK. THE ENGINE BLOCK (CRANK CASE) WAS CRACKED OPEN FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ALL THE WAY AROUND THE CASE BETWEEN THE TWO AFT CYLINDERS. ONE CONNECTION ROD WAS BROKEN FREE FROM THE PISTON, PART OF THE CAM SHAFT WAS ABOUT TO FALL OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE CASE, AND THE LEFT/AFT CYLINDER WAS MISSING TWO MOUNTING NUTS. THE CYLINDER MOUNTING STUDS WERE MISSING NUTS, SHOWING SIGNS OF DAMAGED THREADS. THERE WAS A LOT OF OIL ON THE BOTTOM OF THE COWLING/FUSELAGE, ON THE LANDING GEAR STRUTS AND ?PUDDLED? IN THE ROCKS BELOW THE AIRCRAFT. THE OIL CAP/DIPSTICK WAS STILL INSTALLED AND INTACT, AND SHOWED 2 QUARTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THE OIL BEING AT ?JUST BELOW 4 QUARTS? ON HIS PREFLIGHT CHECK.  THE INSPECTOR NOTICED THAT THE FORWARD/RIGHT CYLINDER, TOP/FORWARD STUD ONLY HAD ONE NUT AND ONE BRACKET MOUNT. ALL THE OTHER CYLINDER MOUNTING STUDS HAD TWO NUTS ON EACH.

THE NTSB IS DECIDING IF THEY WANT CONTINENTAL TO INSPECT THE ENGINE.

## 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 CEN16LA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA218), Jun 11, 2016: Aeronca 7AC (N82694), East St. Louis, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to fracture of the piston pin, which led to fatigue cracking and eventual fracture of the adjacent connecting rod.

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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