Aeronca 7AC accident near Fort Worth, TX
On August 21, 2021, an Aeronca 7AC (airplane) was involved in an accident near Fort Worth, TX. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 21, 2021
- Place
- Fort Worth, TX
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 7AC · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 32.825°N, 97.531°W
- NTSB ID
- 20210821103734
Official records · CEN21FA377
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 21, 2021, about 0853 central daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC airplane, N1472E, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas. The airline transport pilot and the passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the manager of Flying Oaks Airport (2TE2), Fort Worth, Texas, the pilot was going to conduct a local flight with his son. The pilot was seated in the rear seat, and the passenger was seated in the front seat. Multiple witnesses saw the airplane take off from runway 15. One witness, a flight instructor, reported that, during the initial takeoff roll, the airplane became “out of control” and “almost ground looped.” He described the subsequent takeoff roll as “extra-long” and stated that the airplane “appeared to get slow” during the initial climb. He reported that the airplane started a “roll to the right,” the left wing “fell,” and the airplane stalled and entered a spin about 100 ft above ground level (agl). A second witness reported that, during the takeoff, the airplane appeared to be “barely climbing.” Near the end of the runway, about 100 ft agl, he observed a “strong right yaw” followed by a gradual left turn. The pilot appeared to lower the nose, then the airplane “rolled hard left,” and entered a spin. The witnesses did not recall hearing any abnormal noises originating from the engine. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONAccording to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held several type ratings.
Probable cause
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s weight and balance limitations and decreased takeoff performance.
More accidents in TX
- Kubicek BB85, Jul 30, 2016
- Robertson C-414, Jul 29, 1982
- Textron Aviation B-300, Jun 30, 2019
- Beech B100, Nov 26, 1983
- Consolidated-Vultee PBY-6A, Oct 13, 1984
Browse: Texas · 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.
