- Date
- July 20, 2010, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Randolph, NY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9120EAeronca 11AC
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA Rochester, New York
- FAA report
- 20100720055799A
- Case key
- 78427
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 certified flight instructor's delayed response to the student pilot's loss of directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a building.
Findings · 3
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
According to the certified flight instructor (CFI), the student pilot was receiving instruction in a tailwheel equipped airplane. During the takeoff roll, the airplane began to veer to the right, exited the runway, and impacted the corner of a building, resulting in substantial damage to the forward and aft spars of the left wing. The CFI reported that during the takeoff roll, the student pilot was pushing heavily on the right brake. According to the student pilot, about 300 feet into the takeoff roll, the airplane veered to the right a few degrees and the CFI took authority of the airplane's controls. The airplane continued to veer to the right and prior to impacting the building, the student pilot retarded the throttle. Both pilots reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Factual narrative
According to the certificated flight instructor (CFI), the student pilot was receiving instruction in a tailwheel equipped airplane. During the takeoff roll, the airplane began to veer to the right, exited the runway, and impacted the corner of a building, resulting in substantial damage to the forward and aft spars of the left wing.. The CFI reported that during the takeoff roll, the student pilot was pushing heavily on the right brake. According to the student pilot, about 300 feet into the takeoff roll, the airplane veered to the right a few degrees and the CFI took control of the airplane. The airplane continued to veer to the right and prior to impacting the building, the student pilot retarded the throttle. Both pilots reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board was notified of this accident on February 25, 2011.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9120E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 11AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11AC-754
- Airframe hours
- 1,022
- Engine
- Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 27, 2010 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- 85NK · Randolph, NY
- Destination
- N56 · Great Valley, NY
- Airport
- 85NK · Campbell Field Airport, runway 26, 2,495 × 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 27,500 total · 200 in this make and model · 17,500 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 33 total · 10 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- JHW, 20 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 2, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 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.