20210723020409A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aeronca 7AC · Harrah, OK · July 23, 2021

Date: July 23, 2021 · 15:45 local
Place: Harrah, OK
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N83365
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN21LA338
Reported as: Aeronca 7AC
Reported engine: Continental A-65-8F
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,400 total

N83365Registration cancelled Jun 8, 2023 · Aeronca 7ACS/N 7AC-2032 · 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.

Shortly after take off, the engine started to surge. It would lose power, then gain power. The situation progressively became worse. The pilot did not know if he had the power to turn around and land at the airport safely, so he landed in a field close to him. The pilot landed safely but the tall grassy field caused the aircraft to nose over and flip onto its back at slow speed causing substantial damage to tail. The cause of the power loss is unknown. The NTSB stated they would have someone look at the engine to try and determine the cause for power loss.

As the FAA filed it

SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF, THE ENGINE STARTED TO SURGE. IT WOULD LOSE POWER, THEN GAIN POWER. THE SITUATION PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE. THE PILOT DID NOT KNOW IF HE HAD THE POWER TO TURN AROUND AND LAND AT THE AIRPORT SAFELY, SO HE LANDED IN A FIELD CLOSE TO HIM. THE PILOT LANDED SAFELY BUT THE TALL GRASSY FIELD CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO NOSE OVER AND FLIP ONTO ITS BACK AT SLOW SPEED CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO TAIL. THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS IS UNKNOWN. THE NTSB STATED THEY WOULD HAVE SOMEONE LOOK AT THE ENGINE TO TRY AND DETERMINE THE CAUSE FOR POWER LOSS.

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 CEN21LA338Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportHarrah, OKThe pilot’s decision to fly the airplane without a carburetor heat control in atmospheric conditions conducive to the development of serious carburetor icing, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.Jul 23, 2021 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N83365 · 1

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

Accident 20070608011749ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Erie, CO(-23) The pilot stated he was practicing touch and go landings to runway 33 (4,700 feet by 60 feet, concrete). The pilot stated that during the landing roll, the airplane got "squirrelly." The airplane departed the right side of the runway and nosed down in…Jun 8, 2007 · Substantial damage