- Date
- April 16, 1991, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bradley, AR
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1599EAeronca 7AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910416010759A
- Case key
- 23324
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 attempted to perform aerobatic flight at an altitude inadequate for recovery.
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 was observed to make several low altitude high speed passes over a relative's house. After the last pass the airplane made a steep climb, described as a hammer head by witnesses. According to one witness, the airplane appeared to stop in midair and 'nose down to the ground.'
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1599E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC5164
- Engine
- Continental C65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kevin Smith
- Registered owner
- Kevin Smith
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 200 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.