- Date
- June 8, 2016, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Rochester, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1127NAeronca 7BCM
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 12, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160608006589A
- Case key
- 93344
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 directional control during the landing, which resulted in a runway excursion, left main landing gear collapse, and a nose down. Contributing to the accident was the wind shift.
Findings · 4
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 during the landing touchdown in quartering tailwind conditions the airplane veered to the right, he corrected with full left rudder, and advanced the throttle to full forward. The pilot further reported that the increase in power appeared to exacerbate the situation, so he reduced the power, and applied left brake to arrest the veer. According to the pilot the airplane continued to veer to the right, the right main landing gear lifted off the runway, and the left wing impacted the ground. The pilot further reported that the airplane veered off the runway to the right, began to porpoise due to the rough terrain, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the nose of the airplane impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to left wing. According to the pilot, there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located about 4 miles south west of the airport, revealed that about 15 minutes before the accident the wind was 280 degrees true at 6 knots. A further review revealed that, about 5 minutes after the accident the wind was 300 degrees true at 12 knots, and wind gust 15 knots. The airplane landed on runway 19.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing touchdown in quartering tailwind conditions the airplane veered to the right, he corrected with full left rudder, and advanced the throttle to full forward. The pilot further reported that the increase in power appeared to exacerbate the situation, so he reduced the power, and applied left brake to arrest the veer. According to the pilot the airplane continued to veer to the right, the right main landing gear lifted off the runway, and the left wing impacted the ground. The pilot further reported that the airplane veered off the runway to the right, began to porpoise due to the rough terrain, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the nose of the airplane impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to left wing. According to the pilot, there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located about 4 miles south west of the airport, revealed that about 15 minutes before the accident the wind was 280 degrees true at 6 knots. A further review revealed that, about 5 minutes after the accident the wind was 300 degrees true at 12 knots, and wind gust 15 knots. The airplane landed on runway 19.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1127N
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7BCM (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7BCM-88
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 1,682.4
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 10, 2015
- Departed
- 7WI5 · Brooklyn, WI
- Destination
- 96C · Rochester, WI
- Airport
- 96C · Fox River, runway 19, 2,500 × 36 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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 16, 2014
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 289 total · 12 in this make and model · 266 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 12 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KBUU, 4 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 24, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 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 N1127N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.