# NTSB CEN11LA614: Aeronca 7AC, N83533, Valparaiso, IN, September 1, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 1, 2011, 08:15 local (13:15 UTC) - Place: Valparaiso, IN - Coordinates: 41.453887, -87.006942 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4539&lon=-87.0069&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: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 27, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA-South Bend FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 81669 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11LA614 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81669/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81669 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA614 ## Probable cause The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the wear in the tailwheel assembly. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: nose/tail landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Aeronca 7AC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md?model=2110102), [All aircraft, 185 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Aeronca 7AC, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2110102), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aeronca 7AC, 43 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2110102), [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 7AC, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2110102), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Aeronca 7AC, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2110102), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Aeronca 7AC, 44 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2110102), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis During landing, the airplane exited the right side of the runway and struck a ditch, and the main landing gear collapsed. No defects were found with the airplane's brake system. Photographic evidence of skid marks showed that the tailwheel experienced shimmy during the landing, which continued to the side of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed some play in the tailwheel assembly due to wear, which allowed the tailwheel to shimmy during the landing. ## Factual narrative On September 1, 2011, about 0815 central daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, N83533, was damaged when it departed the right side of runway 9 and struck an adjacent ditch while landing at the Porter County Regional Airport (VPZ), Valparaiso, Indiana. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage longerons. The aircraft was registered to Skyview Aviation LLC, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Greenville Municipal Airport (6D6), Greenville, Michigan about 0600. The pilot reported that she made a wheel landing in the tail wheel equipped airplane holding the tail up until the tail wheel settled onto the runway. She said that once the tail wheel contacted the runway the airplane turned to the right which she countered by applying left rudder. The airplane continued to turn to the right. The pilot reported that she applied left brake which had no effect. The pilot reported that at this point, the airplane was in the grass adjacent to the runway and was approaching a hill/ditch. She applied both brakes, but only the right brake was effective which caused the airplane to turn more to the right. The airplane went over the hill/ditch and the landing gear collapsed. The pilot reported that there was excessive play found in the tail wheel assembly, and that the left brake was not functional. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors after the accident revealed no anomalies with regard to the left brake system of the airplane. Some wear of the tailwheel assembly was noted, but the tail wheel was operational and appeared to be in an airworthy condition. Photographs of the runway after the accident showed skid mark evidence that the airplane's tail wheel experienced shimmy during the landing. The shimmy continued to the side of the runway. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N83533](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N83533), registered now, S/N 7AC-2209 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AERONCA 7AC - Registry model: [Aeronca 7AC](https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7ac) (registry code 2110102) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7AC-2209 - Airframe hours: 3231 - Engines: CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 26, 2011 - Departed: 6D6, Greenville, MI - Destination: VPZ, Valparaiso, IN - Airport: VPZ, Porter County Regional Airport, runway 09, 7,001 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; flight hours: 2,000 total, 10 in this make and model, 1,917 as pilot in command, 80 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: VPZ ## 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 20110901023269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110901023269A), Sep 1, 2011: Aeronca 7AC, Valparaiso, IN, Substantial damage. Aircraft was bought on the previous day and was being flown to California from Michigan (6D6). While enroute, pilot elected to stop at kvpz for rest-stop. Upon… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 30, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81669. 4.3 MB in all. - FAA Maintenance Inspector's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 173 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385602&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Maintenance%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - FAA Aviation Safety Inspector's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 347 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385645&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Aviation%20Safety%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 3, .PDF, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385624&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.