- Date
- May 6, 2018, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Warrenton, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N83581Aeronca 7AC
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180506004779A
- Case key
- 97186
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 adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the takeoff initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
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
According to the flight instructor in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, the purpose of flight was to provide a "proficiency check" for the pilot in the front seat. The pilot was on the controls and landed the airplane after accomplishing one pattern. During the subsequent takeoff, about 5 ft above ground level, the airplane's right wing "went down," and the pilot applied left stick, but the airplane struck the ground. During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the instructor reported that he believed that the airspeed was too slow during the takeoff climb and that the airplane stalled. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift struts. The METAR at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 20° at 4 knots. The pilots used runway 15. The pilot and instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the flight instructor in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, the purpose of flight was to provide a "proficiency check" for the pilot in the front seat. The pilot was on the controls and had landed the airplane after accomplishing one pattern. During the takeoff, about 5ft AGL, the airplane's right-wing "went down" and the pilot applied left stick, but the airplane struck the ground. During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board Investigator-in-charge, the instructor reported that he believed that the airspeed was too slow during the takeoff climb and that the airplane stalled. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift struts. The METAR at the airport reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was reported as being from 02° at 4 knots. The pilots used runway 15. The pilot and instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83581
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-2257
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 5,083.61
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 5, 2017
- Departed
- HWY · Warrenton, VA
- Destination
- HWY · Warrenton, VA
- Airport
- HWY · Warrenton-Fauquier, runway 15, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 76
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 23, 2016
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 3,450 total · 63 in this make and model · 3,355 as pilot in command · 163 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 3, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 339 total · 17 in this make and model · 247 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- KHWY
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 26, 2018, 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.