Aeronca 7AC N84124

Summary

On 29 October 1995 at about 22:30 local time, a Aeronca 7AC registered N84124 was involved in an accident near Lapeer, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 October 1995 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Lapeer, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Dupont-Lapeer (D95)

Coordinates

43.0405, -83.3194

Aircraft

Aeronca 7AC

Registration

N84124

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI96LA023

2 people had minor injuries.

fuel exhaustion resulting in engine failure, the inadvertant stall, and improper decision by the pilot to attempt a large heading change at low altitude and airspeed. A factor relating to this accident is no fuel quantity gage installed in the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE HAD CLIMBED TO 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRPLANE AROUND TO LAND ON THE OPPOSITE RUNWAY. WHEN THE AIRPLANE CROSSED THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, 'THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING AGAIN.' BEFORE THE PILOT COULD CLOSE THE THROTTLE, 'THE AIRPLANE BALLOONED INTO THE AIR.' BECAUSE OF HIS ALTITUDE AND A 10 KNOT TAILWIND, THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LAND THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE THEN DECIDED TO ATTEMPT A LANDING ON THE AIRPORT'S DIAGONAL RUNWAY WHICH REQUIRED THE PILOT TO EXECUTE A LEFT 130 DEGREE HEADING CHANGE AT LOW ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. THE AIRPLANE 'STALLED,' AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN LEFT WING FIRST. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL SYSTEM SHOWED NO INDICATIONS OF FUEL PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE DID NOT HAVE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR INSTALLED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.