Aeronca 11AC N86270

Summary

On 27 July 2024 at about 18:57 local time, a Aeronca 11AC registered N86270 was involved in an accident near Winchester, California, United States. 2 people were 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

27 July 2024 at 18:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Winchester, California, United States

Coordinates

33.7054, -117.0915

Aircraft

Aeronca 11AC

Registration

N86270

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

San Diego → San Jacinto

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR24LA261

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power due to a fatigue fracture of the crankshaft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while nearing his intended destination on a cross-country flight, the engine lost partial power followed by a vibration and grinding sound. The pilot attempted to restore engine power by troubleshooting; however, the engine subsequently lost total power and he initiated a forced landing to an open field. When the main wheels touched the soft terrain, the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed metallic debris in the oil sump. The engine was disassembled by the previous owner, and the crankshaft was found fractured at the forward area of the No. 1 cylinder connecting rod journal. The entire fracture surface exhibited beach marks, consistent with high cycle fatigue over multiple duty cycles. The reason for the fatigue fracture was not determined. The engine was last overhauled about 60 years before the accident and had accumulated about 1,569 hours of operation since overhaul. The supplied logbook excerpts consisted of 2 entries, and as such, it could not be determined what engine work was accomplished since the overhaul was performed. The engine manufacturer’s recommended time between overhauls is 12 years or 1,800 hours since overhaul.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.