- Date
- July 19, 1998, 19:50 local (23:50 UTC)
- Place
- Somesville, ME
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7694EAeronca 7FC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 28, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980719046409A
- Case key
- 43551
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's inadequate planning and decision, which fail to consider the effect of takeoff in the direction of the sunlight, which resulted in the pilot encountering sunglare and the loss of aircraft control.
Analysis
The pilot began a take off in his float plane from a pond. He said that as the plane lifted off, he was blinded by glare and became disoriented. The pilot attempted to abort the takeoff, lost directional control, and struck a tree on an island in the pond. The pilot reported the airplane had no mechanical deficiencies and the accident could have been avoided by departing in another direction, away from the sun. The pilot reported he had not completed a biennial flight review in 6 years and that 4 years had transpired since his last FAA physical examination.
Factual narrative
On July 19, 1998, at 1950 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 7FC, N7694E, was substantially damaged when it struck trees during takeoff from a pond near Somesville, Maine. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at Somesville, at 1950. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In a written statement, the pilot said he completed all the before takeoff checks during the taxi. He said:
"All systems appeared ok, so I began my takeoff roll at 50 mph. Weather was clear at the time though a bit gusty from the southwest. I lifted off about [half] way down the pond. As I did so, the sun hit me directly in the eyes. At the time, I was wearing my prescription sunglasses. I felt temporarily blinded however and disoriented. I pulled back the power and at the same moment I felt a strong gust lift my left wing and drive me sidewards. I could not recover and in the process, my right wing struck a 5 [inch] diameter maple tree on the south side of the island."
The pilot reported his third class medical certificate was issued July 29, 1994. He further stated he had not completed a biennial flight review since July 28, 1992.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
In the Recommendation Section of the NTSB Pilot/Operator report, the pilot said the accident could have been prevented by: "Flight at another time of the day without sun in eyes."
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7694E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7FC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7FC-289
- Airframe hours
- 5,334
- Engine
- Continental C-90, 95 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert L. Massucco
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 3, 1998 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE · Somes Pond
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
- 61
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Invalid Medical for flight
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BHB, 5 nm away
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 N7694E · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.