- Date
- August 31, 2013, 08:25 local (13:25 UTC)
- Place
- Plattsmouth, NE
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4348CAeronca 7EC
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20130831019559A
- Case key
- 87992
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 control during takeoff.
Findings · 1
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
While departing runway 16 for a local flight, the private pilot in the front seat was piloting the airplane, while the commercial pilot followed along on the controls from the rear seat. When the airplane became airborne, it yawed to the right and crossed the left edge of the runway. Aircraft control was lost as the airplane's right wing suddenly dropped and the right main landing gear contacted the ground. The airplane descended and spun 180 degrees. Substantial damage was sustained to the fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failure prior to the accident. The wind at the time of the accident was reported calm; however, an ultralight pilot, who had flown shortly before the accident airplane, reported a 5-10 knot wind from the south just above the runway.
Factual narrative
While departing runway 16 for a local flight, the private pilot in the front seat was piloting the airplane, while the commercial pilot followed along on the controls from the rear seat. When the airplane became airborne, it yawed to the right and crossed the left edge of the runway. Aircraft control was lost as the airplane's right wing suddenly dropped and the right main landing gear contacted the ground. The airplane descended and spun 180 degrees. Substantial damage was sustained to the fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failure prior to the accident. Winds at the time of the accident were reported calm, however an ultralight pilot, who had flown shortly before the accident airplane, reported a 5-10 knot wind from the south just above the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4348C
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7EC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7EC-367
- Engine
- Cont Motor C90 SERIES, 95 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Taildragger Inc
- Registered owner
- Taildragger Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KPMV · Plattsmouth, NE
- Destination
- KPMV · Plattsmouth, NE
- Airport
- KPMV · Plattsmouth Municipal, runway 16, 5,500 × 100 ft, concrete
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 10, 2013
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,514 total · 254 in this make and model · 4,356 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 5, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 250 total · 5 in this make and model · 204 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- KPMV
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 1, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.0 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.