- Date
- June 26, 2007, 19:45 local (Jun 27, 2007, 02:45 UTC)
- Place
- Fresno, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1054EAeronca 7AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20070626009819A
- Case key
- 66116
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 an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall.
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 impacted terrain after it stalled during the takeoff initial climb. The pilot stated in a written report that he departed runway 30 after rotating at 60 mph. He said that he did not maintain adequate airspeed during the climb. The right wing dropped and he attempted to recover; however, the airplane impacted the ground approximately 60 feet north of the runway end. The pilot stated that the winds at the time of the accident were 280 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 20 knots. He reported that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight, and that he believed holding a higher air speed during climb out could have prevented the accident.
Factual narrative
On June 26, 2007, about 1945 Pacific daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, N1054E, collided with terrain at Fresno Chandler Executive Airport, Fresno, California. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight departed Fresno about 1945, with a planned destination of Selma, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot stated in a written report that he departed runway 30 after rotating at 60 mph. During the initial climb the right wing dropped and he attempted to recover. The airplane impacted the ground approximately 60 feet north of the runway end.
The pilot stated that the winds at the time of the accident were 280 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight, and that he believed holding a higher air speed during climb out could have prevented the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1054E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-4605
- Airframe hours
- 8,348
- Engine
- Continental C65, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2006 · 33 hours before
- Departed
- FCH · Fresno, CA
- Destination
- 0Q4 · Selma, CA
- Airport
- FCH · Fresno Chandler Executive, runway 30, 3,630 × 75 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
- 50
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2006
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 595 total · 95 in this make and model · 18 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- FCH
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.