- Date
- April 24, 2004, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Flushing, MI
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N83291Aeronca 7AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration - Detroit FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040424006199A
- Case key
- 59164
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 failure to maintain airspeed while on final approach, resulting in an inadvertent stall at a low altitude.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane stalled while on short final, impacting the runway surface. The purpose of the flight was to bring the engine up to operating temperature prior to a scheduled oil change, according to a report submitted by the pilot. The report indicated the pilot "appeared to stall aircraft at threshold." The report also indicated the airplane had "stalled in wind gust close to ground." Surface wind data was collected from a nearby weather observation facility and all wind speeds were 9 knots or less, with no wind gusts reported.
Factual narrative
On April 24, 2004, at 1430 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, N83291, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with runway 09 (1,330 feet by 150 feet, dry grass) while landing at the Dalton Airport, near Flushing, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The local flight originated at 1400 and was returning at the time of the accident.
The pilot obtained assistance when completing the NTSB accident report, due to his extensive injuries. The submitted report indicated the purpose of the flight was to bring the engine up to operating temperature prior to a scheduled oil change. The report indicated the pilot "appeared to stall aircraft at threshold." The report also indicated the airplane had "stalled in wind gust close to ground." The report stated the winds were estimated to be 15 knots, gusting to 22 knots.
Surface wind data was collected from a nearby weather observation facility. The collected wind data, along with the location of the facility was:
Flint, Michigan (FNT)
(6.2 nm, 160 degrees magnetic)
1253: Wind 060 @ 6 knots
1353: Wind 070 @ 8 knots
1453: Wind 090 @ 9 knots
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83291
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-1959
- Airframe hours
- 1,670
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Paul Marshal Lefurgey
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 11, 2003 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- 3DA · Flushing, MI
- Destination
- 3DA · Flushing, MI
- Airport
- 3DA · Dalton Airport, runway 09, 1,330 × 150 ft, grass/turf
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
- 60
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- December 7, 2003
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 642 total · 366 in this make and model · 642 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.32 inHg
- Observed at
- FNT, 6 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.