Aeronca 7AC accident near Brighton, MI
On September 1, 2012, an Aeronca 7AC (airplane) was involved in an accident near Brighton, MI. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- September 1, 2012
- Place
- Brighton, MI
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 42.570°N, 83.778°W
- NTSB ID
- 20120904X64842
Official records · CEN12FA601
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 1, 2012, approximately 0830 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC single-engine airplane, N82383, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain following a loss of control during initial takeoff climb from the Brighton Airport (45G), Brighton, Michigan. The private pilot sustained serious injuries, and the passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. According to local authorities who spoke to witnesses, the pilot was taking the passenger for a local flight. Witnesses observed a normal engine run-up prior to takeoff, and a normal takeoff from runway 22. Shortly after takeoff, the engine did not sound like it was developing full power and the airplane was struggling to climb. Subsequently, witnesses observed the airplane make a 180-degree turn and then descend toward the terrain in a nose down attitude. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 79, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplanes. The pilot held a valid driver's license for operation of light-sport aircraft. The pilot's most recent third class medical certificate was issued on August 10, 2005. The Aeronca 7AC is defined by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a light sport aircraft (LSA). Pilots flying LSAs are only required
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed following a partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of airplane control. Contributing to the severity of the pilot’s head injuries was the failure of the shoulder harness assembly.
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Browse: Michigan · Aeronca aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
