- Date
- October 4, 2014, 18:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- Maryville, TN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N85707Aeronca 7AC
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 21, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- FAA report
- 20141004019329A
- Case key
- 90209
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/owner's failure to maintain a stabilized approach during the final leg of the traffic pattern. Contributing to the accident was both pilot's lack of aeronautical decision making.
Findings · 5
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 pilot/owner, he had purchased the airplane a few weeks prior to the accident and the flight was to accomplish training in a conventional landing gear airplane. During the training flight, numerous takeoffs and landings were accomplished at various airports in the area. While on the final leg of the traffic pattern the flight instructor (CFI) commanded a go-around maneuver and the pilot/owner stated that he "had the landing." The CFI again instructed that the go-around maneuver be performed and he advanced the throttle to full power. The pilot/owner applied back pressure and maintained the best rate of climb. According to the CFI, the pilot/owner was informed that the airplane was "high and hot" on final, after repeating that, the throttle was advanced, by the pilot/owner, and a go-around maneuver began. Neither of the pilots remembered advancing the throttle. The airplane impacted the approximate 60-foot tall trees at the departure end of the runway and nosed over, coming to rest inverted at the base of the trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and rudder. The intended runway had a 42 foot incline, residence on the left side, and high tension powerlines on the right side. Both pilots reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot/owner, he had purchased the airplane a few weeks prior to the accident and the flight was to accomplish training in a conventional landing gear airplane. During the training flight, numerous takeoffs and landings were accomplished at various airports in the area. While on the final leg of the traffic pattern the flight instructor (CFI) commanded a go-around maneuver and the pilot/owner stated that he "had the landing." The CFI again instructed that the go-around maneuver be performed and he advanced the throttle to full power. The pilot/owner applied back pressure and maintained the best rate of climb. According to the CFI, the pilot/owner was informed that the airplane was "high and hot" on final, after repeating that, the throttle was advanced, by the pilot/owner, and a go-around maneuver began. Neither of the pilots remembered advancing the throttle. The airplane impacted the approximate 60-foot tall trees at the departure end of the runway and nosed over, coming to rest inverted at the base of the trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and rudder. The intended runway had a 42 foot incline, residence on the left side, and high tension powerlines on the right side. Both pilots reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N85707
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-4453
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 1,714
- Engine
- Contienental Motors A&C 65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 10, 2014 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Maryville, TN
- Destination
- NONE · Maryville, TN
- Airport
- NONE · Kagley Field, runway 01, 1,700 × 15 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 16, 2012
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 551 total · 3 in this make and model · 478 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 7,500 total · 20 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- KTYS, 8 nm away
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 23, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.