Aviation Accident Summary NYC96LA112

NEW CASTLE, PA, USA

Aircraft #1

N1536E

Aeronca 7EC

Analysis

The pilot stated, '. . . I touched down in the three point configuration. During the rollout, the aircraft veered to the right. I counter controlled with full left rudder and brake. Control inputs were insufficient to counter the yaw. When the right wheel struck the tall grass, the additional drag pulled the aircraft off the runway.' The airplane then encountered a ditch and was damaged. Additionally, the pilot reported that there was no malfunction with the airplane, and that the wind was light and variable.

Factual Information

On May 20, 1996, about 2030 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 7EC, N1536E, was substantially damaged during the landing roll at New Castle Municipal, New Castle, Pennsylvania. The airline transport pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, about 1930. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated: After a normal visual approach in VFR conditions to runway 23, at New Castle Airport, New Castle, Pennsylvania, I touched down in the three point configuration. During the rollout, the aircraft veered to the right. I counter controlled with full left rudder and brake. Control inputs were insufficient to counter the yaw. When the right wheel struck the tall grass, the additional drag pulled the aircraft off the runway. The pilot also reported that there were no malfunctions with the airplane, and that the winds were light and variable. The pilot's total flight experience was approximately 10,300 hours, of which 10 hours were in the accident airplane. According to the Airport Facility Directory, runway 23 was a 4,000 foot long, 75 foot wide runway.

Probable Cause and Findings

the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground swerve and an encounter with high grass and a ditch off the side of the runway.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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