Aeronca 7AC N4264E

Summary

On 24 November 2002 at about 16:45 local time, a Aeronca 7AC registered N4264E was involved in an accident near Merritt Island, Florida, United States. 2 people were 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

24 November 2002 at 16:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Merritt Island, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Merritt Island (CO1)

Coordinates

28.3417, -80.6867

Aircraft

Aeronca 7AC

Registration

N4264E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cocoa Beach → Merritt Island

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL03LA019

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during an approach to land that resulted in an inflight collision with the runway. A factor was the crosswind condition.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, they were over the water in the traffic pattern for a landing when they felt some turbulence. The pilot elected to continue the approach and established final approach airspeed of 70 mph. The pilot reported that the airspeed increased to 80 mph, but he decided that he had enough runway for a landing. As the airplane flew over the approach end of the runway, the pilot reported that the airplane stalled about 30 feet above the runway. Despite corrective actions taken by the pilot, when the airplane touched down on the first third of the runway 11, the airframe broke at the landing gear supports. The airplane came to rest 400 feet down the runway from the touchdown point. Examination of the airplane disclosed structural damage to the airframe, which included the wing assemblies, and a partial collapsed of the main landing gear. The current weather report at the time of the accident reported winds from 030 degrees at 10 knots. No other airplane in the traffic pattern at the approximate time of the accident reported difficulties with the wind conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.