N6035V

On June 27, 1998, at 1500 central daylight time an Aeronca 7BCM, N6035V, registered to and operated by a private pilot sustained substantial damage during a loss of control following a landing on Highway 200, 10 miles west of Portland, North Dakota. The pilot said that the right wheel ran off the paved portion of the road and he lost control of the rollout. The pilot reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight departed from a private strip in Portland about 1430.

The pilot said in his written statement that he intended to land on the road in order to enable him to taxi the airplane to an area where he could have access to water to wash the airplane. He said he was unable to taxi from his hangar directly to this location so he departed the private strip and proceeded to land on the road. He said that the touchdown was on the road; however, during rollout the right main landing gear wheel got off the road into tall grass, he lost directional control, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot did not indicate that there were any mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.