- Date
- July 26, 1982, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Clark, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4314CAeronca Champ 7EC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 26, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19820726039809A
- Case key
- 71319
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
On ground/water collision with object
Object - tree(s)Factor
Clearance - misjudgedCause
Ground loop/swerve - uncontrolledFactor
On ground/water encounter with terrain/water
Terrain condition - high vegetationFactor
Analysis
During takeoff the aircraft contacted willow trees which swerved the aircraft farther into brush. The pilot aborted the takeoff and braked to a stop. Engine fire started which consumed the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4314C
- Reported as
- Aeronca Champ 7EC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7EC315
- Airframe hours
- 1,500
- Engine
- Continental C-90-12F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- A. Timothy Rittal
- Registered owner
- A. Timothy Rittal
- Departed
- Lake Clark, AK
- Destination
- Anchorage, AK
- Airport
- Private Strip
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 120 total · 120 in this make and model · 105 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Temperature
- 131 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.