- Date
- February 14, 2005, 15:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Grass Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4725EAeronca 7EC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20050214002309A
- Case key
- 61033
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.
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.
Analysis
The airplane veered off the runway to the right, and the right wing collided with a tree. The pilot said he lost directional control during the roll out after landing. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Factual narrative
On February 14, 2005, about 1530 Pacific standard time, an Aeronca 7EC, N4725E, veered off the runway on the roll out after landing and collided with a tree at Alta Sierra Airport, Grass Valley, California. Aeronca Flyers, Inc., was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight departed Lincoln, California, about 1445, with a planned destination of Grass Valley, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The primary wreckage was at 39 degrees 06 minutes north latitude and 121 degrees 03 minutes west longitude.
The pilot submitted a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2). He stated that he lost directional control during the landing rollout. The airplane veered to the right off the runway, and struck a tree with the right wing. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4725E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7EC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7EC-68
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aeronca Flyers, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KLHM · Lincoln, CA
- Destination
- 09CL · Grass Valley, CA
- Airport
- 09CL · Alta Sierra Skypark, runway 01, 2,800 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,711 total · 1 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft overcast
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.