Aeronca 65TL N33890

Summary

On 30 September 1989 at about 15:38 local time, a Aeronca 65TL registered N33890 was involved in an accident near Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 September 1989 at 15:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Beaver County (BVI)

Coordinates

40.7593, -80.3202

Aircraft

Aeronca 65TL

Registration

N33890

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Beaver Falls → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC89FA221

1 person died.

THE FAILURE OF THE LEFT WING, REAR UPPER STRUT ATTACHMENT. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY NOT INSTALLING THE RETAINING BOLT AND NUT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND SPENT SEVERAL YEARS REBUILDING THE AIRPLANE AT HIS OWN LEISURE. THE LOGBOOKS INDICATED THE LAST ANNUAL WAS COMPLETED IN 1986. IT WAS NOT KNOWN IF THE AIRPLANE HAD FLOWN SINCE THAT ANNUAL PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT. FRIENDS STATED THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WAS ONLY GOING TO TAXI THE AIRPLANE AND PERFORM SOME RUN-UP TESTS. HOWEVER, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND ELECTED TO FLY THE AIRPLANE. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, THE LEFT WING APPEARED TO FOLD UP, THE AIRPLANE ROLLED LEFT, NOSED OVER AND DESCENDED RAPIDLY BEHIND TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE RETAINING BOLT AND NUT FOR THE LEFT WING REAR UPPER STRUT ATTACHMENT WAS NOT INSTALLED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.