Aeronca 7AC N3504E

Summary

On 20 May 1998 at about 00:00 local time, a Aeronca 7AC registered N3504E was involved in an accident near Sheridan, Arkansas, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 May 1998 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Sheridan, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Sheridan Muni. Airport (9M8)

Coordinates

34.3005, -92.3991

Aircraft

Aeronca 7AC

Registration

N3504E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA233

1 person was seriously injured.

The inadvertent engine start due to the pilot's failure to ensure that the magneto switch was in the OFF position when he was attempting to clear the flooded engine. A factor was the pilot's improper starting procedure, which resulted in flooding the engine.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane collided with trees following an inadvertent engine start. The pilot stated that the tandem airplane was positioned on a taxiway with the right wheel chocked and his wife seated in the rear seat with her seatbelt fastened. The pilot attempted to start the engine by 'hand propping' several times, but was not successful. He thought that he had 'flooded' the engine and decided to clear the engine by turning the propeller again with the magento OFF, fuel valve CLOSED, and throttle FULL OPEN. The pilot thinks he mistakenly turned the magneto ON, which resulted in the engine starting when he began turning the propeller.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.