# NTSB CEN11CA157: Aeronca 7AC, N81800, Corsicana, TX, January 24, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 24, 2011, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Corsicana, TX - Coordinates: 32.028057, -96.400558 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0281&lon=-96.4006&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 26, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 78208 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11CA157 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78208/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78208 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA157 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aeronca 7BCM/CONV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2110145), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Aeronca 7BCM/CONV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2110145), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Aeronca 7BCM/CONV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2110145), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was on his first solo cross-country flight in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. While landing at his destination airport, the airplane swerved to the left and the student pilot attempted to regain directional control, but was unable. The airplane exited the side of the runway and nosed over, coming to rest in an inverted position. The airplane’s right wing and right wing struts sustained substantial damage during the accident. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The student pilot was on his first solo cross-country flight in a tailwheel equipped airplane. While landing to runway 17 at his destination airport, the airplane swerved to the left and the student pilot attempted to regain directional control, but was unable. The airplane exited the side of the runway and nosed over; coming to rest in an inverted position. The airplane’s right wing and right wing struts sustained structural damage during the accident. The winds were reported to be from 020 degrees at 6 knots at the time of the mishap. The student pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N81800](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N81800), registered now, S/N 7AC423 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AERONCA 7AC - Registry model: [Aeronca 7BCM/CONV](https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7bcm-conv) (registry code 2110145) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7AC423 - Airframe hours: 3115 - Engines: Teledyne Continental Motors C-85 85 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Flywithrobert LLC - Registered owner: Flywithrobert LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 23, 2010 - Departed: FWS, Fort Worth, TX - Destination: CRS, Corsicana, TX - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: CRS, Corsicana Municipal, runway 14, 5,004 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 30; injuries: none; medical: sport pilot; seat: front; flight hours: 28 total, 28 in this make and model, 21 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: CRS ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20110124000899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110124000899A), Jan 24, 2011: Aeronca 7AC, Corsicana, TX, Substantial damage. On 24 January at or about 2105UTC at the Corsicana, Texas Corsicana municipal airport (crs) a aeronica 7AC (converted to an 7BCM-conv) serial number 7AC423… ## Other investigations on N81800 (2) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB DFW08CA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08CA022), Nov 2, 2007: Aeronca 7AC (N81800), Fort Worth, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain direction control. A contributing factor was the tailwind. - [NTSB FTW99LA270](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA270), Sep 12, 1999: Aeronca 7-AC (N81800), Fort Worth, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 9, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78208. 6.8 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 6.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40342873&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1, Rear Quarter View of Airplane (item 2, .PDF, 349 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40343097&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201,%20Rear%20Quarter%20View%20of%20Airplane-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.