- Date
- June 4, 2014, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Tacoma, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9791EAeronca 11AC
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 2, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- SEA
- FAA report
- 20140604024299A
- Case key
- 89367
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 student pilot's improper application of rudder resulted in a loss of control during the landing roll and the flight instructor's inadequate oversight.
Findings · 5
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 flight instructor reported that the student was practicing stop-and-go landings in the tail-wheel equipped airplane. The student had just completed two takeoffs, and the roll outs on landing were satisfactory with a little help from the flight instructor. On the third landing, the airplane was about halfway through the roll out to stop when the student suddenly pushed on the right rudder. The flight instructor immediately applied left rudder and brake, called for an addition of power, reached for the throttle, and pushed on it. The airplane straightened out, but was in the grass beside the runway. The airplane became airborne, and subsequently collided with a runway light in its path. After the airplane hit the runway light, the flight instructor flew over the runway, landed, and taxied back to the hangar. The bottom of the airframe sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that the student was practicing stop-and-go landings in the tail-wheel equipped airplane. The student had just completed two takeoffs, and the roll outs on landing were satisfactory with a little help from the flight instructor. On the third landing, the airplane was about halfway through the roll out to stop when the student suddenly pushed on the right rudder. The flight instructor immediately applied left rudder and brake, called for an addition of power, reached for the throttle, and pushed on it. The airplane straightened out, but was in the grass beside the runway. The airplane became airborne, and subsequently collided with a runway light in its path. After the airplane hit the runway light, the flight instructor flew over the runway, landed, and taxied back to the hangar. The bottom of the airframe sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9791E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 11AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11AC-1438
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 2,429
- Engine
- Cont Motor C85-12, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Gig Harbor Light Sport Flying Club
- Registered owner
- Gig Harbor Light Sport Flying Club
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 30, 2013
- Departed
- TIW · Tacoma, WA
- Destination
- TIW · Tacoma, WA
- Airport
- TIW · Takoma Narrows, runway 17, 5,002 × 150 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 80
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- June 4, 2013
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 4,713 total · 200 in this make and model · 4,651 as pilot in command · 54 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 12 total · 12 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KTIW
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 13, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 222 KB in all.
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 N9791E · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.