N21301

Substantial
None

AERONCA 65CS/N: C1058

Accident Details

Date
Saturday, March 23, 2013
NTSB Number
CEN13CA224
Location
Grand Rapids, MN
Event ID
20130409X22215
Coordinates
47.103332, -93.453056
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The student pilot’s failure to adequately lock the primer before takeoff and the flight instructor's failure to verify that the primer was adequately locked.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
AERONCA
Serial Number
C1058
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1938
Model / ICAO
65CAR65
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
2
FAA Model
65-C

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
REGISTRATION PENDING
Address
18731 SHOREVIEW DR
City
DEERWOOD
State / Zip Code
MN 56444-8462
Country
United States

Analysis

The certified flight instructor (CFI) hand propped the engine and the student set the engine controls prior to the flight. The flight consisted mainly of practicing ground reference maneuvers and slips. The CFI reported that they were at an altitude of about 700 feet above the ground when the engine lost all power and the propeller stopped spinning. The CFI performed the emergency checklist, by memory, and located a frozen lake on which to land. The airplane nosed over after traveling about 30 feet during the landing roll which resulted in substantial damage to wooded wing spars. Photos taken at the accident site show the fuel primer control was unlocked and the primer control was at an intermediate position. The CFI reported the student stated he locked the primer control, but only turned the control about an eighth of an inch to lock it. The CFI stated primer control was in when he had checked it prior to the flight. It could not be determined how the primer control became unlocked. The engine was started and it ran normally during the postaccident examination. When the primer control was placed in the position found after the accident and the power was reduced to 1,000 rpm, the engine lost all power. The airplane was not equipped with an electrical system and therefore could not be restarted in flight.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN13CA224