Aeronca 65-TAC N36973

Summary

On 13 May 2005 at about 15:30 local time, a Aeronca 65-TAC registered N36973, operated by Valley Aviation, was involved in an accident near Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 May 2005 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

38.5294, -78.8867

Aircraft

Aeronca 65-TAC

Registration

N36973

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Valley Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Winchester → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD05LA063

2 people died.

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and subsequent impact with the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness, who was a relative of the pilot, watched the airplane fly past his house, and saw the pilot and the passenger's faces as they waved at him. The witness then returned inside his house, and shortly thereafter heard the airplane's engine increase power, then suddenly total silence, followed by the sounds of impact. Examination of the engine and airframe revealed no mechanical anomalies, and evidence of a stall/spin impact attitude. The carburetor heat knob was found in the off position. Review of an FAA carburetor icing probability chart, placed the reported temperature and dew point in the "serious icing at glide power" range.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.