20200311000769A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aeronca 7AC · Ankeny, IA · March 11, 2020

Date: March 11, 2020 · 16:45 local
Place: Ankeny, IA
Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N83032
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN20CA120
Reported as: Aeronca 7AC
Reported engine: Continental A&C65 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 116 total32 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days

N83032Registered now · Aeronca 7ACS/N 7AC-1688 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.

The aircraft had just returned from a flight with another pilot. The pilot involved in the accident was alone. After multiple attempts to start the aircraft without success, the pilot had noticed that fuel was dripping from the carburetor. The pilot turned the magneto's off and advanced the throttle approximatly two thirds and then turned the prop backwards to clear the cylinders. After dong this the pilot turned the magneto's back on but failed to retard the throttle. When the pilot again attempted to start the aircraft the engine did start, causing the prop to strike the pilot on the head. The aircrafts parking was set and the wheels where chocked. With the throttle being advanced two thirds the aircrafts parking brake did not hold. The aircrft jumped the chocks and struck the hangar. Note: this aircraft does not have an electrical system. The aircraft must be started by hand-propping the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST RETURNED FROM A FLIGHT WITH ANOTHER PILOT. THE PILOT INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WAS ALONE. AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO START THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT SUCCESS, THE PILOT HAD NOTICED THAT FUEL WAS DRIPPING FROM THE CARBURETOR. THE PILOT TURNED THE MAGNETO'S OFF AND ADVANCED THE THROTTLE APPROXIMATLY TWO THIRDS AND THEN TURNED THE PROP BACKWARDS TO CLEAR THE CYLINDERS. AFTER DONG THIS THE PILOT TURNED THE MAGNETO'S BACK ON BUT FAILED TO RETARD THE THROTTLE. WHEN THE PILOT AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO START THE AIRCRAFT THE ENGINE DID START, CAUSING THE PROP TO STRIKE THE PILOT ON THE HEAD. THE AIRCRAFTS PARKING WAS SET AND THE WHEELS WHERE CHOCKED. WITH THE THROTTLE BEING ADVANCED TWO THIRDS THE AIRCRAFTS PARKING BRAKE DID NOT HOLD. THE AIRCRFT JUMPED THE CHOCKS AND STRUCK THE HANGAR. NOTE: THIS AIRCRAFT DOES NOT HAVE AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE AIRCRAFT MUST BE STARTED BY HAND-PROPPING THE AIRCRAFT.

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 CEN20CA120Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal reportAnkeny, IAThe pilot's improper starting procedure, which allowed the airplane to move forward over the wheel chocks and impact him and a hangar when he subsequently hand propped the engine.Mar 11, 2020 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N83032 · 2

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

Incident 20130723014969ICruise/Level Flight · Elkton, KYOn July 20, 2013, during inspection, the number four cylinder failed a compression test. The cylinder was replaced with one that had no paperwork substantiating tracability. The maintenance record stated that a: "used, serviceable cylinder with 500 hours…Jul 23, 2013 · Minor damage Accident 19840213003289ALevel Off Touchdown · Lawrence, KSInstructor pilot allowed student to make hard landing that became uncontrollable resulting in crash.Feb 13, 1984 · Substantial damage