ATL04CA169

The pilot stated that the first flight was uneventful, and that he did not note any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. The pilot stated upon landing, he dropped off his friend, and another friend got in the airplane for another flight. The pilot stated, he "ground checked the aircraft thoroughly before departure" as well as checked the magnetos, carburetor heat, and flight controls during a run-up, and "everything was normal." The pilot stated that he took off with full power and upon reaching between 80-100 feet over the departure end of runway 17, the airplane flight controls began "feeling stiff," and the airplane began banking right. The pilot stated that excessive pressure on the flight controls was required to keep the wings level, and the airplane also began to lose altitude. The airplane collided with 40-foot trees 1/4 mile beyond and 50 feet to the right of the departure end of runway 17. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that both wings were crushed aft against the fuselage and were partially attached at the wing roots. The outboard four feet of the right wing was separated. The left wing strut was separated from the fuselage and wing and crushed. The left main landing gear was separated from the fuselage. Examination of the flight controls revealed full rudder travel was established by manually depressing both right and left rudder pedals and full elevator travel was established by manually moving the control stick forward and aft. When the control stick was manually moved left to right, a binding in the control travel was noted and a clicking sound was heard in the area behind the rear seat. During recovery of the airplane wreckage, it was observed that the right aileron control cable had come off the pulley and was wedged between the pulley and the bracket where the right aileron control cable leaves the fuselage leading into the right wing. The last annual inspection on the airplane was performed on October 1, 2003. Twelve hours had been accumulated on the airplane since the last annual inspection. The annual inspection checklist items, "cables" and "ailerons," were initialed by the authorized inspector (IA) as being performed.

On August 22, 2004, at 1630 eastern daylight time, N84399, an Aeronca 7AC, registered to and operated by a private owner, collided with trees 1/4 mile from the departure end of runway 17 following a loss of in-flight control during climb near Spring Paths airstrip, Spring Hope, North Carolina. The personal flight was conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot and passenger reported minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local flight originated at Spring Paths airstrip, Spring Hope, North Carolina, on August 22, 2004, at 1629.

According to the pilot, the accident flight was the second flight of the day, during which he was taking friends on a flight around the local area. He stated that the first flight was uneventful, and that he did not note any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. The pilot stated upon landing, he dropped off his friend, and another friend got in the airplane for another flight. The pilot stated, he "ground checked the aircraft thoroughly before departure" as well as checked the magnetos, carburetor heat, and flight controls during a run-up, and "everything was normal." The pilot stated that he took off with full power and upon reaching between 80-100 feet over the departure end of runway 17, the airplane flight controls began "feeling stiff," and the airplane began banking right. The pilot stated that excessive pressure on the flight controls was required to keep the wings level, and the airplane also began to lose altitude. The airplane collided with 40-foot trees 1/4 mile beyond and 50 feet to the right of the departure end of runway 17.

Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that both wings were crushed aft against the fuselage and were partially attached at the wing roots. The outboard four feet of the right wing was separated. The left wing strut was separated from the fuselage and wing and crushed. The left main landing gear was separated from the fuselage. Examination of the flight controls revealed full rudder travel was established by manually depressing both right and left rudder pedals and full elevator travel was established by manually moving the control stick forward and aft. When the control stick was manually moved left to right, a binding in the control travel was noted and a clicking sound was heard in the area behind the rear seat. During recovery of the airplane wreckage, it was observed that the right aileron control cable had come off the pulley and was wedged between the pulley and the bracket where the right aileron control cable leaves the fuselage leading into the right wing.

The last annual inspection on the airplane was performed on October 1, 2003. Twelve hours had been accumulated on the airplane since the last annual inspection. The annual inspection checklist items, "cables" and "ailerons," were initialed by the authorized inspector (IA) as being performed.