# NTSB LAX01LA017: Aeronca 7AC, N707SR, Santa Paula, CA, October 8, 2000

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 7, 2000, 17:00 local (Oct 8, 2000, 00:00 UTC)
- Place: Santa Paula, CA
- Coordinates: 34.400943, -119.069358 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4009&lon=-119.0694&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 8, 2001
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 51221
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX01LA017
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51221/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA017

## Probable cause

The failure of the pilot to maintain control of the tail wheel equipped aircraft while taxiing due to excessive taxi speed resulting in a collision with parked aircraft.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - on ground/water, taxi - from landing
  - taxispeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause)
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- On ground/water collision with object, taxi - from landing
  - object - aircraft parked/standing

## Analysis

The pilot said he was taxiing his tail wheel equipped aircraft too fast while exiting the runway after landing.  His aircraft struck two parked aircraft.

## Factual narrative

On October 7, 2000, at 1700 hours Pacific daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, N707SR, was substantially damaged when the aircraft turned left off runway 22 after landing and struck two parked aircraft at the Santa Paula, California, airport.  The certificated commercial pilot and one passenger were not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, which was operated by the owner under 14 CFR Part 91.  The local area flight departed from Santa Paula at 1655 and no flight plan was filed.

In his report to the Safety Board the pilot acknowledged taxiing too fast while exiting the runway after landing.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N707SR (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Aeronca 7AC
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 3393
- Airframe hours: 3200
- Engines: Continental A-75 75 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Curt Schutze
- Registered owner: Craig E. Marzec
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 1999, 10 hours before
- Departed: SZP
- Airport: SZP, Santa Paula, runway 22, 2,650 × 40 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: rear; flight hours: 2,118 total, 350 in this make and model, 1,900 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: CMA, 8 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20001007019119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001007019119A), Oct 7, 2000: Bbavia 7AC, Santa Paula, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) The flight consisted of several (5 or 6) circuits of the traffic pattern for takeoffs and landings. On the last landing, according to the PIC, the left…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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