Aeronca 15AC N1187H

Summary

On 7 September 2009 at about 02:00 local time, a Aeronca 15AC registered N1187H, operated by Dixon Charles W, was involved in an accident near Kotzebue, 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.

Date

7 September 2009 at 02:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

68.4075, -161.3544

Aircraft

Aeronca 15AC

Registration

N1187H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Dixon Charles W

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kotzebue → Kotzebue

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC09CA093

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's delay in aborting the off-airport landing resulting in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot was on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, personal flight which included taking off and landing at an off-airport site. In a written statement to the NTSB, the pilot reported that when the airplane touched down at the off-airport site, it bounced about 8 feet, and touched down again. He said with maximum braking he did not think he could stop the airplane in the landing area, and he added power to abort the landing. He reported that as the airplane became airborne, he encountered a downdraft, and the airplane collided with terrain. He said he should have aborted the landing sooner. He noted there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The airplane received substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.