Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary NYC00LA264

GETTYSBURG, PA, USA

Aircraft #1

N9354E

Aeronca 11AC-991

Analysis

A pilot witnessed the airplane flare 'about 3-4 feet too high,' and touched down hard on the right main landing gear. The airplane then immediately veered 40-50 degrees to the right and headed toward a line of parked airplanes. The airplane struck a parked airplane, rotated on its right wing tip and came to rest on the nose cowling. The pilot stated in a written narrative, 'what occurred was a 'ground loop' after touchdown...'

Factual Information

On September 17, 2000, about 1035 Eastern Daylight Time, an Aeronca 11AC-991, N9354E, was substantially damaged while landing at the Gettysburg Airport, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The certificated recreational pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to a pilot, he observed the accident airplane land on Runway 24, a 3,096-foot long, 40-foot wide, asphalt runway. The airplane flared "about 3-4 feet too high," and touched down hard on the right main landing gear. The airplane then immediately veered 40-50 degrees to the right and headed toward a line of parked airplanes. The airplane struck a parked airplane, rotated on its right wing tip and came to rest on the nose cowling. The pilot stated in a written narrative, "what occurred was a 'ground loop' after touchdown..." The winds reported at an airport located about 18 miles to the east of the accident site, at 1053, were from 250 degrees at 9 knots.

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane after landing which resulted in the inadvertent ground loop.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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