- Date
- October 27, 2005, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Yelm, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N85534Aeronca 7AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20051027026679A
- Case key
- 62738
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 complete loss of engine power during the initial climb for undetermined reasons, and the excessive descent rate during the ensuing forced landing.
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 aircraft, which had not undergone an annual inspection since 1973, was being "flight tested" as part of the process of getting it ready to be sold. On its third takeoff of the day, after reaching an altitude of about 200 feet above the ground, it experienced a complete loss of engine power. During the attempted forced landing, the pilot allowed the aircraft to descend at an excessive rate, and it was substantially damaged when it contacted the ground. The reason for the loss of power has not been determined.
Factual narrative
The aircraft, which had not undergone an annual inspection since 1973, was being "flight tested" as part of the process of getting it ready to be sold. On its third takeoff of the day, after reaching an altitude of about 200 feet above the ground, it experienced a complete loss of engine power. During the attempted forced landing, the pilot allowed the aircraft to descend at an excessive rate, and it was substantially damaged when it contacted the ground. The reason for the loss of power has not yet been determined. This report is based upon information received by the NTSB. Additional details may be found in the NTSB's public docket for this case. For further information, please contact the NTSB Office of Public Inquiries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N85534
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4274
- Engine
- Continental A65, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Edward Graham
- Registered owner
- Edward R. Graham
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Yelm, WA
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
- 65
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.