- Date
- November 17, 2015, 13:47 local (18:47 UTC)
- Place
- Fowlerville, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N84157Aeronca 7AC
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 17, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20151117018579A
- Case key
- 92341
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 failure to maintain pitch control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in an impact with terrain.
Findings · 2
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
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while practicing landings in gusty wind conditions, the airplane inadvertently became airborne during the takeoff roll, the airplane descended back to the runway, and impacted terrain. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while practicing landings in gusty wind conditions, the airplane inadvertently became airborne during the takeoff roll, the airplane descended back to the runway, and impacted terrain. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N84157
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-2843
- Airframe hours
- 2,890
- Engine
- Continental Motors C85-8F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 9, 2015
- Departed
- NONE · Fowlerville, MI
- Destination
- 65G · Fowlerville, MI
- Airport
- 65G · Maple Grove, runway 09, 3,050 × 110 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- None
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
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 4, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,566 total · 1,498 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- KOZW, 6 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 14, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.