- Date
- April 15, 2004, 17:28 local (22:28 UTC)
- Place
- Carthage, TN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2908EAeronca 7AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Nashville FSDO-03
- FAA report
- 20040415035449A
- Case key
- 59067
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain visual lookout and clearance while maneuvering resulting in an in-flight collision with wires and subsequent collision with water.
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.
Analysis
The pilot was flying in the vicinity of a river. He started a turn when his passenger stated, "watch the wires." The airplane collided with two of four wires and collided with the river. The pilot stated he should have been more alert about his surroundings. He further stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane before it collided with the wires and the water.
Factual narrative
On April 15, 2004, at 1728 central daylight time, an Aeronica 7AC, N2908E, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with wires and Defeated Creek, while maneuvering in the vicinity of Carthage, Tennessee. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage. The private pilot and one passenger reported minor injuries. The flight originated from Sparta, Tennessee, on April 15, 2004, at 1630.
The pilot stated he was flying at 1,500 feet in the vicinity of the river. He started a turn when his passenger stated, "watch the wires." The airplane collided with two of four wires and the water in Defeated Creek. He and his passenger exited the airplane unassisted and swam to shore. The pilot stated he should have been more alert about his surroundings. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane before it collided with the wires and the water.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2908E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC6491
- Airframe hours
- 3,567
- Engine
- Continental C-85-8F, 85 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William L. Rotenberry
- Registered owner
- Paul G. Rotenberry
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 4, 2003 · 88 hours before
- Departed
- SRB · Sparta, TN
- Destination
- M54 · Lebanon, TN
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
- 57
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 500 in this make and model · 850 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- BNA, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2908E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.