- Date
- February 6, 2005, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ravenswood, WV
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N33779Aeronca 65CA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Charleston FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050206034039A
- Case key
- 60973
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions and his failure to maintain directional control while landing. A factor in this accident was the crosswind condition.
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 was landing on runway 4, a 4,001-foot-long, 75-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The pilot reported that the airplane was above the runway centerline, when he began to flare; however, a wind gust caused the airplane to veer to the right. The airplane came to rest in a ravine. Several witnesses reported that they observed the airplane veer off the right side of the runway, and over an embankment. One witness stated that the weather was "very windy." Winds reported at an airport located about 31 miles northeast of the accident site, were from 320 degrees at 5 knots.
Factual narrative
On February 6, 2005, about 1430 eastern standard time, an Aeronca 65CA, N33779, was substantially damaged while landing at the Jackson County Airport (I18), Ravenswood, West Virginia. The certificated private pilot and a passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The airplane was landing on runway 4, a 4,001-foot-long, 75-foot-wide, asphalt runway.
The pilot reported that the airplane was above the runway centerline, when he began to flare; however, a wind gust caused the airplane to veer to the right. The pilot was unable to correct the drift with the application of engine power and left rudder. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway, and came to rest in a ravine.
Several witnesses reported that they observed the airplane veer off the right side of the runway, and over an embankment. One witness stated that the weather was "very windy."
Winds reported at an airport located about 31 miles northeast of I18, at 1453, were from 320 degrees at 5 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N33779
- Reported as
- Aeronca 65CA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- C13301
- Airframe hours
- 3,204
- Engine
- Continental AC65, 65 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gary E. Mummey
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2004 · 57 hours before
- Departed
- 80A7 · Stockport, OH
- Destination
- I18 · Ravenwood, WV
- Airport
- I18 · Jackson County, runway 4, 4,001 × 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
- 47
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2003
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,727 total · 1,500 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.40 inHg
- Observed at
- PKB, 31 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.