- Date
- July 25, 2007, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Kirbyville, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9870BAeronca Champion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Houston
- Case key
- 66374
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 inability to maintain directional control during takeoff roll as result of the failure of the airplane's tailwheel's steering arm.
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 pilot lost control of airplane when the steering arm from the tailwheel assembly failed during the initial takeoff roll. The 20,000-hours airline transport rated pilot reported that about 250-feet along the takeoff roll, when the airplane was accelerating through 40 to 45 mph, the airplane started to pull to the right and his full left rudder input was unable maintain directional control. The 2,600-feet long by 80-foot wide grass airstrip featured a 4 to 5 foot deep ditch along the right side of the airstrip. The pilot added that he attempted to get airborne prematurely and the airplane was able to clear the ditch; however, after clearing the ditch, the right wing became entangled in some tall grass and airplane subsequently impacted the ground. The vintage airplane came to rest in an upright position and the pilot and passenger exited the airplane unassisted. An examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage sustained structural damage. A detailed examination of the tailwheel assembly confirmed that the steering arm was completely fractured. The wind at the time of the accident was reported as calm. The pilot had accumulated approximately 30 hours in the same make and model.
Factual narrative
The pilot lost control of airplane when the steering arm from the tailwheel assembly failed during the initial takeoff roll. The 20,000-hours airline transport rated pilot reported that about 250-feet along the takeoff roll, when the airplane was accelerating through 40 to 45 mph, the airplane started to pull to the right and his full left rudder input was unable to maintain directional control. The 2,600-feet long by 80-foot wide grass airstrip featured a 4 to 5 foot deep ditch along the right side of the airstrip. The pilot added that he attempted to get airborne prematurely and the airplane was able to clear the ditch; however, after clearing the ditch, the right wing became entangled in some tall grass and airplane subsequently impacted the ground. The vintage airplane came to rest in an upright position and the pilot and passenger exited the airplane unassisted. An examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage sustained structural damage. A detailed examination of the tailwheel assembly confirmed that the steering arm was completely fractured. The wind at the time of the mishap was reported as calm. The pilot had accumulated approximately 30 hours in the same make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9870B
- Reported as
- Aeronca Champion
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- FC-193
- Airframe hours
- 3,778.1
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2007
- Departed
- T12 · Kirbyville, TX
- Destination
- BPT · Beaumont/Port A, TX
- Airport
- 999 · Private Airstrip, runway unk, 2,600 × 80 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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Military, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2006
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 30 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
Other investigations on N9870B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.