# Accident 20170616009409A: Aeronca 11AC, Watervliet, MI, June 16, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 16, 2017, 19:22 local time
- Place: Watervliet, MI
- Airport: Watervliet Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.2000° N, 86.2500° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2000&lon=-86.2500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9404E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9404E) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aeronca 11AC (registry code 0191102, https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-11ac) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AERONCA 11AC
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 8,524 total, 100 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA17CA347](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA347) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170616009409A

## Narrative

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

ON JUNE 16, 2016 AT 19:22 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), AN AERONCA 11-AC AIRCRAFT, N9404E, REGISTERED TO EDWARD M. MALONEY AND OPERATED BY A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FOR AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT STRUCK THE TREES AT THE SOUTH END OF RUNWAY 20 WHILE MANEUVERING AFTER DEPARTING FROM WATERVLIET MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (40C).

THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN.  THE PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM WATERVLIET MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (40C), WATERVLIET, MI AT APPROXIMATELY 19:22 EDT.

ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT THEY ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 20 AND ABORTED THE FIRST RUN AS THE AIRCRAFT NEVER BROKE GROUND. ON THE SECOND TAKEOFF ATTEMPT THE AIRCRAFT REACHED 55 MILES PER HOUR AND FLOATED IN GROUND EFFECT. UPON REACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED THE FIRST SET OF SMALL TREES THEN STALLED INTO THE TOPS OF THE FOREST.

VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WEATHER AT KAZO AIRPORT AT 18:54 WAS: WIND 250 DEGREES AT 7 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, CLEAR, TEMP 83°F DEW POINT 63°F AND ALTIMETER 29.79, DENSITY ALTITUDE 1955FT.

## 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 GAA17CA347](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA347), Jun 16, 2017: Aeronca 11AC (N9404E), Watervliet, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a takeoff over maximum gross weight from a turf runway in high density altitude conditions and the airplane’s inability to…

## Other reports on N9404E (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19990827026279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990827026279A), Aug 27, 1999: Bbavia 11AC (N9404E), Watervliet, MI, Substantial damage. (.19) On August 27, 1999, at 2015 eastern daylight time (EDT), an Aeronca 11BC, N9404E, operated by a private pilot sustained substantial damage when on…

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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