Aeronca 7FC N7694E

Summary

On 19 July 1998 at about 23:50 local time, a Aeronca 7FC registered N7694E was involved in an accident near Somesville, Maine, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 July 1998 at 23:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Somesville, Maine, United States

Nearest airport

Somes Pond (NONE)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Aeronca 7FC

Registration

N7694E

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

IAD98LA080

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate planning and decision, which fail to consider the effect of takeoff in the direction of the sunlight, which resulted in the pilot encountering sunglare and the loss of aircraft control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot began a take off in his float plane from a pond. He said that as the plane lifted off, he was blinded by glare and became disoriented. The pilot attempted to abort the takeoff, lost directional control, and struck a tree on an island in the pond. The pilot reported the airplane had no mechanical deficiencies and the accident could have been avoided by departing in another direction, away from the sun. The pilot reported he had not completed a biennial flight review in 6 years and that 4 years had transpired since his last FAA physical examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.