- Date
- December 28, 1991, 14:25 local (19:25 UTC)
- Place
- Salisbury, CT
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3103EAeronca 7AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911228057439A
- Case key
- 37049
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 airspeed while performing low altitude aerobatic maneuvers, resulting in a stall with insufficient altitude to recover. Factors related to the accident were the pilot's overconfidence in his ability to perform these maneuvers, and his lack of experience in fixed wing airplanes.
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
Several witnesses saw the airplane performing low altitude buzzing and aerobatic maneuvers. The airplane was seen going straight into the ground after performing a nose high maneuver. The pilot had 170 hours total flight time in fixed wing airplanes. He was a helicopter pilot with the u. s. army.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3103E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-6702
- Engine
- Continental A-65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John F. Keena
- Registered owner
- John F. Keena
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- 4B9 · Simsbury, CT
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
- 35
- Certificates
- Military, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,570 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
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 N3103E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.