- Date
- December 13, 2015, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Reidsville, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1316VAeronca 7BCM
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Greensboro FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20151213023309A
- Case key
- 92459
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 loss of pitch control while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in a collision with terrain, a left main landing gear collapse, and runway excursion.
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 reported that he was participating in an ash spreading ceremony and planned to do a low pass over the runway. As the airplane approached 50 feet above ground level and 70 knots, the pilot reported that the bag containing the ashes began to break and he "momentarily" let go of the flight controls. Subsequently, the airplane descended, impacted the runway, and bounced back into the air. During the bounce, the pilot regained control and landed straight ahead, but the left main landing gear collapsed on the touchdown. The airplane veered off the runway to the left and skidded to a stop. A postaccident examination of the airframe revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was participating in an ash spreading ceremony and planned to do a low pass over the runway. As the airplane approached 50 feet above ground level and 70 knots, the pilot reported that the bag containing the ashes began to break and he "momentarily" let go of the flight controls. Subsequently, the airplane descended, impacted the runway, and bounced back into the air. During the bounce, the pilot regained control and landed straight ahead, but the left main landing gear collapsed on the touchdown. The airplane veered off the runway to the left and skidded to a stop. A postaccident examination of the airframe revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1316V
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7BCM (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7BCM-446
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 3,179.65
- Engine
- Continental C-85, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air drop · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 7, 2015
- Departed
- SIF · Reidsville, NC
- Destination
- SIF · Reidsville, NC
- Airport
- SIF · Rockingham County Nc Shiloh, runway 31, 5,200 × 100 ft, asphalt
- 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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 19, 2014
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,514.3 total · 380 in this make and model · 2,466.6 as pilot in command · 10.1 in the last 90 days · 2.7 in the last 30 days · 0.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KSIF
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 7, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.
Other investigations on N1316V · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.