Aviation Crash Map

Aeronca 7AC N81543

24 August 1996 · Frederick, Maryland, United States · Minor injuries

Summary

On 24 August 1996 at about 12:30 local time, a Aeronca 7AC registered N81543 was involved in an accident near Frederick, Maryland, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 12:30
Classification
Accident
Location
Frederick, Maryland, United States
Nearest airport
Fredrick Municipal (FDK)
Coordinates
39.4208, -77.4105
Aircraft
Aeronca 7AC
Registration
N81543
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
IAD96LA140

People

1 person had minor injuries.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 0 1 1

Probable cause

the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in a stall and collision with the terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he had started his departure roll on runway 12 with a normal power setting. He said he climbed at 55 mph in a steep but normal attitude at about 30 degrees nose up. He said that he leveled off at about 100 feet above ground with wings level, when (what seemed like) a 'giant hand' (he guessed turbulence; there did not seem to be a flight control problem) started to 'throw the airplane around.' The airplane rolled left and right to 45 degrees or so, without warning. He said the airplane then descended in a flat attitude as if it was pushed, and it hit the ground slightly left wing down at full throttle. A witness, who was watching the takeoff, stated that the airplane took off in a steep nose high attitude, and at about ten feet above the ground, it stalled and fell back onto the runway, striking the left wing and separating the left main landing gear. He said the aircraft then slid off the runway to the left.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Aeronca 7 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
16 Apr 1996 Aeronca 7BCM
N2908E
Portland, Tennessee, United States - Minor injuries -
25 Jun 1996 Aeronca 7AC
N84538
Callahan, Florida, United States - No injuries -
10 Aug 1996 Aeronca 7BCM
N2502B
Northway, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
21 Jun 1996 Aeronca 7AC
N2456E
Lamont, California, United States - No injuries -
11 Aug 1996 Aeronca 7CCM
N2836E
Marsing, Idaho, United States - Fatal 2
21 May 1996 Aeronca 7EC
N1536E
New Castle, Pennsylvania, United States - No injuries -

All 1,361 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
11 Jul 1996 Piper PA-38-112
N91493
Salisbury, Maryland, United States - No injuries -
13 Jul 1996 Quicksilver SPRINT
UNREG
Mt Airy, Maryland, United States John F Harrison Fatal 1
14 Jul 1996 Cessna 172
N78149
Frederick, Maryland, United States - No injuries -
25 Jul 1996 Cessna 172 RG
N6169R
Union Bridge, Maryland, United States - No injuries -
9 Aug 1996 Piper PA-32-260
N1439T
Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
23 Aug 1996 American AA-5
N9525L
Annapolis, Maryland, United States - Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States