NTSB Identification: ERA12CA245
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, March 20, 2012 in Clearwater, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/15/2012
Aircraft: AERONCA 7AC, registration: N82406
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.The commercial pilot said that he was receiving flight instruction in the tailwheel-equipped airplane and that as he lifted the tailwheel off runway for takeoff, the airplane encountered a wind gust and veered to the left. The pilot said that he had "little to no" control of the airplane. The flight instructor then assumed control of the airplane; however, the airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck a fence. The airplane's main landing gear separated and the airframe was substantially damaged. Both pilots reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot receiving instruction reported 1,530 hours of total flight experience, which included 2 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision, which resulted in a runway excursion. Full narrative availableIndex for Mar2012 | Index of months