20220304022439A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aeronca 7CCM · Winnsboro, LA · March 4, 2022

Date: March 4, 2022 · 10:00 local
Place: Winnsboro, LA
Airport: Winnsboro Municipal
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N555EK
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN22LA139
Reported as: Aeronca 7CCM
Reported engine: Continental C90 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 24,000 total50 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days

N555EKRegistration cancelled Nov 15, 2023 · Aeronca 7CCMS/N 7AC-693 Airframe modelAeronca 7CCM Engine modelContinental C90 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.

A CFI pilot was giving instruction on this aircraft to the aircraft owner. They had been doing touch and goes for about an hour. When they were through a second pilot wanted some instruction and check out in this make and model aircraft.

The CFI said they taxied up and down the runway several times so the pilot could get used to the braking system that was different than what he was used to. After he felt comfortable with the aircraft they taxied to the north end of the runway and took off to the south. The aircraft came up to power normal and when the tailwheel came up the aircraft was airborne and immediately started veering to the right. The CFI pilot tried to correct it by inducing left rudder but he could not move it. He believed the second pilot had right rudder induced and he could not override him. The aircraft struck a tree off the right side of the runway and came down to the grownd causing substantial damage to the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

A CFI PILOT WAS GIVING INSTRUCTION ON THIS AIRCRAFT TO THE AIRCRAFT OWNER. THEY HAD BEEN DOING TOUCH AND GOES FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. WHEN THEY WERE THROUGH A SECOND PILOT WANTED SOME INSTRUCTION AND CHECK OUT IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AIRCRAFT.

THE CFI SAID THEY TAXIED UP AND DOWN THE RUNWAY SEVERAL TIMES SO THE PILOT COULD GET USED TO THE BRAKING SYSTEM THAT WAS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HE WAS USED TO. AFTER HE FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE AIRCRAFT THEY TAXIED TO THE NORTH END OF THE RUNWAY AND TOOK OFF TO THE SOUTH. THE AIRCRAFT CAME UP TO POWER NORMAL AND WHEN THE TAILWHEEL CAME UP THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED VEERING TO THE RIGHT. THE CFI PILOT TRIED TO CORRECT IT BY INDUCING LEFT RUDDER BUT HE COULD NOT MOVE IT. HE BELIEVED THE SECOND PILOT HAD RIGHT RUDDER INDUCED AND HE COULD NOT OVERRIDE HIM. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME DOWN TO THE GROWND CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO 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 CEN22LA139Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportWinnsboro, LAThe pilot’s loss of airplane control during takeoff and subsequent impact with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of experience in the accident airplane.Mar 4, 2022 · Substantial damage