Aeronca 7AC N83581

Summary

On 6 May 2018 at about 14:30 local time, a Aeronca 7AC registered N83581 was involved in an accident near Warrenton, Virginia, 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

6 May 2018 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Warrenton, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Warrenton-Fauquier (HWY)

Coordinates

38.5864, -77.7106

Aircraft

Aeronca 7AC

Registration

N83581

Category

Airplane

Year built

1946

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Warrenton → Warrenton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA257

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the takeoff initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the flight instructor in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, the purpose of flight was to provide a "proficiency check" for the pilot in the front seat. The pilot was on the controls and landed the airplane after accomplishing one pattern. During the subsequent takeoff, about 5 ft above ground level, the airplane's right wing "went down," and the pilot applied left stick, but the airplane struck the ground. During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the instructor reported that he believed that the airspeed was too slow during the takeoff climb and that the airplane stalled. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift struts. The METAR at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 20° at 4 knots. The pilots used runway 15. The pilot and instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.