Aeronca 15AC N4433N
7 August 2004 · Big lake, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 7 August 2004 at about 01:15 local time, a Aeronca 15AC registered N4433N, operated by David D. Schwartz, was involved in an accident near Big lake, Alaska, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 01:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Big lake, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 61.5750, -149.8667
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 15AC
- Registration
- N4433N
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- David D. Schwartz
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Big lake → Chugiak
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC04CA089
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions and subsequent collision with high vegetation during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in a collision with the ground. Factors contributing to the accident were the presence of a tailwind and bushes at the end of the airstrip.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The private certificated pilot was departing toward the northeast from a private airstrip that was about 1,300 feet long. There were power lines and trees at the southwest end of the airstrip. The pilot reported that the weather conditions included a temperature of about 85 degrees F, and the wind conditions were from the southwest, about 15 to 20 knots. He said he decided to depart downwind, toward the northeast, because of the obstructions at the southwest end of the strip. During the takeoff, the pilot indicated that the airplane lifted off at the end of the strip, but the left main landing gear tire and the left wing clipped bushes about 5 to 10 feet above the ground. The airplane then nosed into the ground and received structural damage to the right wing and the right wing lift strut.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aeronca 15 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 2002 | Aeronca 15AC | Sitka, Alaska, United States | James L. Marrs | No injuries | - |
| 14 Aug 2000 | Aeronca 15AC | Pettigrew, Arkansas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 21 Sep 2000 | Aeronca 15AC | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Sep 2008 | Aeronca 15AC | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States | Beckman Thomas J | No injuries | - |
| 24 Apr 2008 | Aeronca 15AC | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | Wolfgang Junge | No injuries | - |
| 8 May 1999 | Aeronca 15AC | Pedro Bay, Alaska, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Sep 2004 | Piper PA-22-160 | Kenai, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Sep 2004 | Piper PA-18-150 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | Eric A. Swenson | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jun 2004 | Cessna 185 | Skwentna, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Jun 2004 | Beechcraft 36 | Talkeetna, Alaska, United States | John Collins | Fatal | 1 |
| 5 Dec 2004 | Boeing 747SR-146B SF | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Jun 2004 | Christen HUSKY A-1 | Bethel, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |