- Date
- August 11, 2010, 11:55 local (17:55 UTC)
- Place
- Silver City, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4546EAeronca 11CC
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 7, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20100811040689A
- Case key
- 76945
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 loss of directional control during takeoff and the certificated flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 2
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 started the takeoff roll and the airplane ground-looped prior to liftoff. The certificated flight instructor unsuccessfully attempted to regain control; however, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway. The right wing main spar and several ribs were bent as a result of the accident sequence.
Factual narrative
On August 11, 20104, at 1145 mountain daylight time, an Aeronca 11CC, N4546E, was substantially damaged when it ground looped during takeoff at Grant County Airport (SVC), Silver City, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The student pilot and flight instructor on board the airplane were not injured. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. According to the flight instructor's aircraft accident report, the pilot started the takeoff roll and the airplane ground looped prior to liftoff. The instructor tried to regain control but to no avail. The airplane veered off the left side of runway 26. The right wing main spar and several ribs were bent, and the right main landing gear was separated. No anomalies with the airplane were found. The accident report submitted by the pilot corroborated the instructor's report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4546E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 11CC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11CC-249
- Airframe hours
- 1,584
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Tris D. Germain
- Registered owner
- Tris D. Germain
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 6, 2010
- Departed
- SVC · Silver City, NM
- Destination
- SVC · Silver City, NM
- Airport
- SVC · Grant County, runway 26, 6,802 × 100 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 76
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 20, 2009
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 15 in this make and model · 3,600 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 8, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 677 total · 1 in this make and model · 677 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- SVC
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 26, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB 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.