Aeronca 7BCM (L-16A) N8362H

Summary

On 22 July 2015 at about 00:45 local time, a Aeronca 7BCM (L-16A) registered N8362H, operated by Vaughn Hood, was involved in an accident near Auburn, Wyoming, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 July 2015 at 00:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Auburn, Wyoming, United States

Coordinates

42.7944, -111.0136

Aircraft

Aeronca 7BCM (L-16A)

Registration

N8362H

Category

Airplane

Year built

1947

Engines

1

Operator

Vaughn Hood

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Afton → Afton

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15FA310

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while turning at low altitude, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and entering an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying at a low altitude and the rear occupant dropping candy to people on the ground. The airplane then proceeded east and crossed a highway before beginning a turn to return for another pass. One witness reported that the airplane then made a sudden turn and the nose of the airplane dropped; another witness reported that the airplane suddenly dipped. The airplane impacted the front yard of a private residence. A postcrash examination of the airplane showed flight control continuity. No anomalies were found with the airplane's engine or other systems. It is likely the pilot exceeded the airplane's critical angle-of-attack following the turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at low of an altitude to recover.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.