- Date
- June 29, 1998, 10:05 local (17:05 UTC)
- Place
- Phoenix, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N34482Aeronca Chief 65-CA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980629015269A
- Case key
- 30135
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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft during the landing rollout.
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 pilot performed a full-stall landing and, during the landing rollout, the airplane veered to the left. He stated that he applied aileron to keep the aircraft level, but the airplane continued to pull to the left. He decided to roll off the runway in order to avoid having the right wing contact the ground. The aircraft struck the visual approach slope indicator lights. The pilot reported that he had not noted any crosswind component noticed on the final approach. He further reported that he had not experienced any mechanical malfunction with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
On June 29, 1998, at 1005 hours mountain standard time, an Aeronca Chief 65-CA, N34482, struck the lights at the end of the runway at the Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix, Arizona. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the private pilot and passenger, the sole occupants, were not injured. The local personal flight was terminating at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that he performed a full-stall landing on runway 25R. During the rollout, the aircraft veered to the left. The pilot stated that he applied aileron to try to keep the plane level, but the airplane continued to pull to the left. He reported that to avoid having the right wing contact the ground, he decided to roll off the runway. The aircraft contacted the visual approach slope indicator (VASI) lights causing damage to the horizontal stabilizer.
The pilot reported that he had not noticed any crosswind component on the final approach. The wind was from 220 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N34482
- Reported as
- Aeronca Chief 65-CA (CHIEF 65-C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- C14941
- Airframe hours
- 2,889
- Engine
- Continental A&C65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Derwin Grimm Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 1998 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- DVT
- Airport
- DVT · Deer Valley Municipal, runway 25, 4,500 × 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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 152 total · 145 in this make and model · 93 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 100 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DVT
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 N34482 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.