- Date
- October 22, 2017, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Salinas, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N83512Aeronca 7DC
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 11, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171022023659A
- Case key
- 96225
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 landing with a tailwind.
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 reported that, during landing, as the tailwheel was touching down, the airplane swerved to the right and hit a taxiway sign. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system on the accident airport reported, about 30 minutes before the accident, that the wind was calm. The automated report further reported, about 30 minutes after the accident, that the wind was from 270° at 11 knots. The pilot landed on runway 08.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during landing, as the tailwheel was touching down the airplane swerved to the right and hit a taxiway sign. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system on the accident airport reported, about 30 minutes prior to the accident that the wind was calm. The automated report further reported, about 30 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 270° at 11 knots. The pilot landed on runway 08.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83512
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7DC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-2183
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 1,998
- Engine
- Continental C85-F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 16, 2017
- Departed
- SNS · Salinas, CA
- Destination
- SNS · Salinas, CA
- Airport
- SNS · Salinas Muni, runway 08, 6,004 × 150 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
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 11, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,900 total · 200 in this make and model · 15 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- KSNS
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 6, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 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.