- Date
- March 4, 2022, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Winnsboro, LA
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N555EKAeronca 7CCM
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20220304022439A
- Case key
- 104755
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 airplane control during takeoff and subsequent impact with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of experience in the accident airplane.
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 flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was to familiarize the pilot with the airplane. As they prepared for takeoff, the flight instructor mentioned that the larger engine on this airplane tends to pull the airplane “gently left at full power.” The pilot started the takeoff roll with no problem. As the tailwheel lifted off the ground, the airplane veered sharply right and was nose high. The airplane subsequently impacted trees and terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The flight instructor further reported there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N555EK
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7CCM (NO SERIES EXISTS)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-693
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 1,509
- Engine
- Continental Motors C90 Series, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Randy Braswell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- F89 · Winnsboro Municipal Airport, runway 18, 3,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 68
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1 total · 1 in this make and model
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 74
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 9, 2020
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 24,000 total · 35 in this make and model · 24,000 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- MLU, 32 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 22, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.2 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.