- Date
- May 25, 2008, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Valkaria, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1457EAeronca 7AC
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080525839949A
- Case key
- 68080
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 adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of an Aeronca 7AC stated that he intended to fly the airplane for one flight in the traffic pattern, followed by a landing and subsequent departure for a flight in the local area. He reported performing a preflight inspection and an engine run-up prior to departure, and that during the takeoff roll and initial climb, the airplane performed normally. The pilot began to initiate a slow left turn once the airplane had reached an altitude of 200 feet. During the turn the airplane rolled to the left, and the nose pitched down. The pilot reported attempting to correct the deviation with the input of right rudder. The airplane collided with terrain and an airport perimeter fence. During a subsequent telephone interview, the pilot stated that he applied too much left rudder input during the left turn, and the [left] wing "slipped away." A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
Factual narrative
The pilot of an Aeronca 7AC stated that he intended to fly the airplane for one flight in the traffic pattern, followed by a landing and subsequent departure for a flight in the local area. He reported performing a preflight inspection and an engine run-up prior to departure, and that during the takeoff roll and initial climb, the airplane performed normally. The pilot began to initiate a slow left turn once the airplane had reached an altitude of 200 feet. During the turn the airplane rolled to the left, and the nose pitched down. The pilot reported attempting to correct the deviation with the input of right rudder. The airplane collided with terrain and an airport perimeter fence. During a subsequent telephone interview, the pilot stated that he applied too much left rudder input during the left turn, and the [left] wing "slipped away." A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1457E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-5020
- Airframe hours
- 2,083
- Engine
- Continental A65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2008 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- X59 · Valkaria, FL
- Destination
- X59
- Airport
- X59 · Valkaria Airport, runway 09, 4,000 × 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
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2007
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 416 total · 7 in this make and model · 367 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MLB, 10 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.