- Date
- April 2, 2020, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hessel, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3JZChampion Aeronca 7FC
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200402000479A
- Case key
- 101141
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 landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a snowbank.
Findings · 5
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 pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he attempted a three-point, full-stall landing with a right-quartering headwind of about 10 to 15 knots. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered an unanticipated wind gust that raised the right wing and turned the airplane about 30° to the right. The pilot attempted to correct, but the airplane exited the right side of the runway and impacted a snowbank. The airplane then decelerated rapidly and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and wing strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he attempted a three-point, full stall landing, with a right-quartering headwind of about 10 to 15 knots. During rollout, the pilot experienced an unanticipated wind gust that raised the right wing and turned the airplane about 30° to the right. The pilot attempted to correct, but the airplane exited the right side of the runway and contacted a snowbank. The airplane decelerated rapidly and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and wing strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3JZ
- Reported as
- Champion Aeronca 7FC (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7FC-212
- Built
- 1958
- Airframe hours
- 2,560
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 7, 2019
- Departed
- 5Y1 · Hessel, MI
- Destination
- 5Y1 · Hessel, MI
- Airport
- 5Y1 · Albert J Lindberg, runway 27, 3,700 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 14, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 122 total · 51 in this make and model · 72 as pilot in command · 0.2 in the last 90 days · 0.2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 21, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.8 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.