- Date
- November 13, 2005, 15:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- Saginaw, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N81868Aeronca 7DC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Fort Worth, Texas
- FAA report
- 20051113029779A
- Case key
- 62814
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 flight instructor's delayed remedial action. Contributing factors were the gusty winds.
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 student pilot at the controls of the tailwheel-equipped airplane lost control of the vintage airplane during the takeoff roll from Runway 32. The 1,278-hour flight instructor reported that a gust of wind caused the airplane to veer to the right, and the student pilot corrected by applying left rudder, but when the gust of wind dissipated there was excessive left rudder input. The flight instructor reported that he took control of the airplane as the airplane was departing the left side of the runway to attempt to recover the airplane; however, the student pilot closed the throttle, which decreased the airplane's rudder authority. The airplane then impacted a 3-foot berm just short of the PAPI for runway 32. Wind conditions at an airport 6-nautical miles to the east of the accident site reported winds from 030 degrees at 15 knots at the approximate time of the accident. The flight instructor reported winds from 8 to 15 knots at the time of the mishap. Runway 32 was reported to be 3,740-foot long, by 60-foot wide. The flight instructor reported having accumulated 520 hours in the same make and model airplane.
Factual narrative
The student pilot at the controls of the tailwheel-equipped airplane lost control of the vintage airplane during the takeoff roll from Runway 32. The 1,278-hour flight instructor reported that a gust of wind caused the airplane to veer to the right, and the student pilot corrected by applying left rudder, but when the gust of wind dissipated there was excessive left rudder input. The flight instructor reported that he took control of the airplane as the airplane was departing the left side of the runway to attempt to recover the airplane; however, the student pilot closed the throttle, which decreased the airplane's rudder authority. The airplane then impacted a 3-foot berm just short of the PAPI for runway 32. Wind conditions at an airport 6-nautical miles to the east of the accident site reported winds from 030 degrees at 15 knots at the approximate time of the accident. The flight instructor reported winds from 8 to 15 knots at the time of the mishap. Runway 32 was reported to be 3,740-foot long, by 60-foot wide. The flight instructor reported having accumulated 520 hours in the same make and model airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N81868
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7DC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AC-491
- Airframe hours
- 3,864
- Engine
- Continental C-85, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- William G. Henderson, doing business as William G. Henderson
- Registered owner
- William G. Henderson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2005 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- T67 · Saginaw, TX
- Airport
- T67 · Hicks Field, runway 32, 3,740 × 60 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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2004
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,278 total · 520 in this make and model · 1,076 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 0 total · 0 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KAFW, 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.