# NTSB ERA14LA332: Aeronca 7CCM, N82442, Prentiss, MS, July 5, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 5, 2014, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Prentiss, MS - Coordinates: 31.589736, -89.870773 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.5897&lon=-89.8708&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 14, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 89626 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14LA332 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89626/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89626 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA332 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident engine examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Aeronca 7CCM, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2110110), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Aeronca 7CCM, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2110110), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Aeronca 7CCM, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2110110), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Aeronca 7CCM, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=2110110), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Aeronca 7CCM, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2110110), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that the airplane departed on a planned 20-minute flight with 9 gallons of gasoline on board. Toward the end of the flight, the engine suddenly lost all power without warning. He switched from the header fuel tank to the right main fuel tank and set up for a forced landing to a hayfield. Just before landing, the engine regained power for about 3 seconds and then again lost all power. The momentary gain in power placed the airplane on a high glidepath for the hayfield. The pilot did not want to risk landing in the surrounding trees, and the airplane stalled as he was maneuvering to land in the hayfield. Examination of the wreckage revealed that adequate fuel remained onboard. Examination of the engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The propeller was able to be rotated by hand, and thumb compression was attained on all cylinders. Although the recorded temperature and dew point at the time of the accident were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power, the engine was at cruise power when the power loss occurred. The pilot could not locate the aircraft logbooks, but a mechanic stated that an annual inspection had been completed about 1 year before the accident. ## Factual narrative On July 5, 2014, about 1130 central daylight time, an Aeronca 7CCM, N82442, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following a total loss of engine power during cruise flight near Prentiss, Mississippi. The private pilot and one passenger incurred minor injuries, while a second passenger was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the planned flight to a private airstrip in Collins, Mississippi. The flight originated from Prentiss County Airport (M43), Prentiss, Mississippi, about 1115. The pilot reported that he departed with 9 gallons of automobile gasoline, which he had a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supplemental type certificate for. Toward the end of the approximate 20-minute flight, the engine suddenly lost all power without warning. He switched from the header fuel tank to the right main fuel tank. He also set up for a forced landing to a hayfield as the rest of the nearby terrain was wooded. Just prior to landing, the engine regained power for approximately 3 seconds and then lost all power again. The momentary gain in power placed the airplane on a high glidepath for the hayfield. The pilot did not want to risk landing in the surrounding trees and stalled the airplane as he was maneuvering to land in the hayfield. After the accident, he confirmed there was fuel in the header fuel tank and right wing fuel tank. He did not know why the engine lost all power. The airplane was not insured and the pilot planned to scrap it. As such, he had no planes to further troubleshoot why the engine lost all power. Examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed that during the impact, the right main landing gear separated and the right wing partially collapsed downward. The inspector noted that the header fuel tank was compromised during the impact and did not contain fuel. The right wing fuel tank was intact and contained fuel. The airplane was not equipped with a left wing fuel tank. Due to the disposition of the wreckage (right gear and wing collapse), the inspector was only able to rotate the propeller about 90 degrees before ground contact, but did not note any mechanical binding. He was also not able to access the fuel bowl. The inspector added that a rear seat passenger was carrying her 5-year-old son on her lap. The pilot and adult passenger received lacerations. The son was not injured. The pilot could not locate his aircraft or pilot logbooks. He reported a total flight experience of 5,000 hours; of which, 4,000 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane with 40 of those hours flown during the 90 days preceding the accident. The pilot's mechanic stated that he completed an annual inspection of the airplane on or about August 1, 2013. The mechanic added that after the airplane was recovered, he was able to rotate thepropeller and obtain thumb compression on all four cylinders. Review of an FAA Carburetor Icing chart for the temperature (82 degrees F) and dew point (57 degrees F) at the time of the accident revealed "Serious Icing (glide power);" however, the engine was at cruise power when the power loss occurred. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N82442](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N82442-2018-03-16), registration cancelled 2018-03-16, S/N 7AC-1075, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AERONCA 7CCM - Registry model: [Aeronca 7CCM](https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7ccm) (registry code 2110110) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C90 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (registry code 17009, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7AC-1075 - Year built: 1946 - Engines: reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Hooks Sammie - Registered owner: Hooks Sammie - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2013 - Departed: M43, Prentiss, MS - Destination: NONE, Collins, MS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 75; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; seat: front; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 5,000 total, 4,000 in this make and model, 5,000 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: PIB, 20 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20140705014249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140705014249A), Jul 5, 2014: Aeronca 7CCM, Prentiss, MS, Substantial damage. Engine quit at 2000' cruise, only available landing area was a small hay field. As pilot descended into field engine fired again for a couple of seconds and… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 7, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89626. 2.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417519&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Interview Summaries (item 2, .PDF, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417520&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Interview%20Summaries-Master.PDF - Weather Report (item 3, .PDF, 12 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417521&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Report-Master.PDF - FAA Carburetor Icing Chart (item 4, .PDF, 255 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417522&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Carburetor%20Icing%20Chart-Master.PDF - Photo 1 - Main Wreckage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 183 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417523&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Main%20Wreckage%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.