Aeronca 7AC N1659E

Summary

On 15 January 2017 at about 23:30 local time, a Aeronca 7AC registered N1659E was involved in an accident near Compton, California, 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

15 January 2017 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Compton, California, United States

Nearest airport

Compton/Woodley (CPM)

Coordinates

33.8894, -118.2450

Aircraft

Aeronca 7AC

Registration

N1659E

Category

Airplane

Year built

1946

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Murrieta/Temecula → Compton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA113

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain runway alignment during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in an off-runway landing in soft dirt and a nose-over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during short final approach in gusting wind conditions, the airplane drifted left. The airplane landed left of the runway in soft dirt and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift struts. The pilot reported that, about 10 minutes before the accident, the wind was reported as light and variable at the airport. The airplane was landing on runway 7R. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.