N3370E

Substantial
None

AERONCA 7ACS/N: 7AC-6778

Accident Details

Date
Saturday, May 9, 2009
NTSB Number
WPR09CA280
Location
El Cajon, CA
Event ID
20090609X31647
Coordinates
32.826110, -116.972503
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing with gusting crosswinds.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
AERONCA
Serial Number
7AC-6778
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1947
Model / ICAO
7ACCH7A
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
2
FAA Model
7AC

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
BAS PART SALES LLC
Address
575 ED BEEGLES LN
City
GREELEY
State / Zip Code
CO 80631
Country
United States

Analysis

The flight school's operations manager reported that the pilot was previously checked out in the accident model of airplane, and he was authorized to rent the airplane. On the day of the accident flight, the pilot and passenger departed for a planned local area flight to a neighboring airport. Air traffic control tower personnel reported that the pilot's landing approach to Runway 27L was uneventful. During the landing roll out, the airplane veered to the left of the runway. The pilot applied rudder pressure to correct the airplane's course, and the airplane veered to the right. The airplane departed the runway and contacted a 6-foot drainage ditch. The conventional landing gear sheared off, a wing lift strut bent, a wing impacted the ground, and structural tube frames/longerons in the airplane's belly were deformed upward. The pilot did not report experiencing any mechanical malfunction with the airplane during the accident flight. He stated that during the landing he had encountered a wind gust, which blew the airplane to the side of the runway. In taking corrective action to realign the airplane, he "reacted...too much." At 1539, the airport reported its surface wind was from 240 degrees at 10 knots, with 15-knot gusts.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR09CA280