- Date
- September 26, 2009, 11:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Augusta, KS
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9204EAeronca 11AC
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Wichita FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090926018159A
- Case key
- 74819
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 directional control while landing with a quartering tailwind.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot was conducting an orientation flight for one passenger. During landing with a quartering right tailwind the airplane's tail swerved left on touchdown. The pilot attempted to correct the situation with right rudder and additional power. The airplane continued to the left, departed the runway, and spun around. The left gear was broken off the airplane and the left longeron and left horizontal stabilizer were bent. The pilot stated that there were no prior mechanical issues with the airplane that would have caused the accident.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was conducting an orientation flight for one passenger. During landing with a quartering right tailwind the airplane's tail swerved left on touchdown. The pilot attempted to correct the situation with right rudder and additional power. The airplane continued to the left, departed the runway, and spun around. The left gear was broken off the airplane and the left longeron and left horizontal stabilizer were bent. The pilot stated there was nothing wrong with the airplane to cause the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9204E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 11AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11AC-838
- Airframe hours
- 1,528
- Engine
- Continental A65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 4, 2008
- Departed
- 3AU · Augusta, KS
- Destination
- 3AU · Augusta, KS
- Airport
- 3AU · Augusta Municipal Airport, runway 18, 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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 22, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 669 total · 78 in this make and model · 639 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Temperature
- 70 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 2, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 609 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.