- Date
- April 15, 1994, 17:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Beverly, MA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N84409Aeronca 7AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940415008009A
- Case key
- 8912
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 adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and collision with the ground.
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 taxiing on taxiway bravo when he got a cramp in his right leg. The airplane drifted right and he was unable to maintain directional control, so he decided to takeoff on the taxiway to avoid an overrun of the runway. After he was airborne he returned for landing on same taxiway. The pilot reported that he was too high, so he tried to go-around but the airplane stalled and impacted the trees.
Factual narrative
On April 15, 1994, at 1745 eastern daylight time, N84409, an Aeronca 7AC, collided with trees during an aborted landing at Beverly Airport, Beverly, Massachusetts. The certificated flight instructor, the sole occupant, was seriously injured and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was being operated under 14 CFR 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed.
The pilot stated that he was taxiing fast on taxiway bravo when he got a "cramp in his right leg." The pilot reported that the airplane started to veer off the taxiway onto the soft shoulder. He stated that he decided to takeoff from the taxiway rather that nose over in the soft shoulder. He reported that after takeoff he made a 270 degree low turn low over the trees, and he tried to return for a landing on the same taxiway as he was unsure if anyone was landing on the runway. During the landing he overshot the taxiway, and he tried to go-around, but the airplane stalled and impacted the trees.
An FAA Aviation Safety Inspector examined the airplane after the accident and reported that there were no anomalies noted. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction, and the accident could have been prevented if he does not do any "more wheel taxiing."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N84409
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3103
- Airframe hours
- 3,228
- Engine
- Continental A-65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- New England Flyers
- Registered owner
- Scofield Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 20, 1993 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- BVY
- Destination
- BVY
- Airport
- BVY · Beverly Muni
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
- 36
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,023 total · 69 in this make and model · 869 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BVY, 1 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.