- Date
- May 15, 2017, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lebanon, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3046EAeronca 7AC
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170515004759A
- Case key
- 95190
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 roll in gusting wind conditions.
Findings · 3
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 roll in a crosswind, the airplane "started weathervaning…with some sideways sliding." He added that he decided to go around, but about 2 ft above the ground, "knowing I [he] couldn't climb fast enough to clear the top of the…[hangars] on the east side of the runway, I [he] pulled power back." The airplane touched down again, exited the left side of the runway, crossed a ditch, and came to rest on the taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the wind as variable, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot landed on runway 34.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll in a crosswind, the airplane "started weathervaneing me[him] with some sideways sliding". He added that he decided to go-ground, but about two feet above the ground, "knowing I [he] couldn't climb fast enough to clear the top of the hangers on the east side of the runway, I [he] pulled power back". The airplane touched down again, exited the left side of the runway crossed a ditch, and came to rest on the taxi way. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the wind as wind as variable at 10-15 knots and wind gusts at 15 knots. The pilot landed on runway 34.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3046E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-6593
- Engine
- reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special); Standard, Normal
- Departed
- S12 · Albany, OR
- Destination
- S30 · Lebanon, OR
- Airport
- S30 · Lebanon State, runway 34, 2,877 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- May 21, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,850 total · 10 in this make and model · 2,850 as pilot in command · 0.8 in the last 90 days · 0.8 in the last 30 days · 0.8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KCVO, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 9, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.