On July 7, 1982, an Aeronca Champion 7AC (registration N1724E) operated by Sunshine Flight, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near St. Petersburg, FL. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
While practicing touch-and-go landings, a pilot encountered gusty winds and a storm, resulting in a stall and main landing gear failure upon touchdown.
Incident Overview
A pilot was conducting touch-and-go landing practice when he observed a storm across the bay over Tampa. Noticing a change in wind direction, he switched from Runway 24 to Runway 18. After completing three more touch-and-go landings, he decided to make the next landing a full stop.
Approach and Flare
The pilot reported that the approach appeared satisfactory until he began the flare. At that point, the airplane suddenly started drifting to the right. Despite his efforts to correct the drift, the aircraft stalled and struck the ground.
Landing Gear Failure
Upon touchdown, both main landing gear failed. The pilot estimated that the wind was gusting to 20 knots.
Weather Conditions
The 1549 EDT weather observation at St. Petersburg indicated intensive thunderstorm activity in the area.