- Date
- July 18, 1987, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Saluda, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1810EAeronca 7AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 25, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870718079799A
- Case key
- 11287
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.
Analysis
While climbing thru aprx 400 to 500 ft after takeoff, the plt made a slight rgt turn which was flwd by a left bank. After moving the control stick for a left bank, it jammed to the left & was restricted in fore & aft movement. The plt applied full rgt rudder & alternated btn full & partial pwr. This placed the acft in a skid. Subsequently, it dscndd & struck a 60 to 70 ft pwr line, then came to rest in a field. An exam revealed there was a plastic fuel sampler & a cloth pitot cover with a metal clip in the belly of the fuselage. Markings were fnd which verified the sampler had wedged btn the control stick interconnect tube & the fuselage structure. When the sampler was placed in that psn after the acdnt, the contols would jam as described by the plt. An exam for psbl sources of foreign objects revealed there were openings at both boot covers for the control sticks. Both boot covers were deteriorated. Also, there was a 2' cut-out where the upper elev control cable extended upward fm the floorboard at the rear bulkhead.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1810E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC5377
- Airframe hours
- 2,297
- Engine
- Continental A-65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Carl J. Prater
- Registered owner
- Carl J. Prater
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · October 9, 1986
- Departed
- VA
- Airport
- W75 · Hummel, runway 18, 2,500 × 45 ft, asphalt
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 206 total · 103 in this make and model · 179 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
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 N1810E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.