On July 6, 1984, an Aeronca 7AC (registration N1419E) was involved in an aviation accident near Marysville, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop and subsequent damage to the left landing gear and wing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A tailwheel-equipped aircraft suffered damage to its left landing gear and wing after losing directional control during the landing roll of a precautionary stop.
What happened
The pilot elected to execute a precautionary landing on a private airstrip due to a rough-running engine. The condition was temporarily addressed by applying carburetor heat, but the decision to land had already been made. During the subsequent landing roll, directional control of the aircraft was lost. This loss of control resulted in a ground loop, which caused damage to the left landing gear and the wing structure.
The investigation
Post-accident examination confirmed the physical damage sustained during the ground loop event. The pilot cited a need for more experience operating tailwheel-equipped aircraft as a contributing factor to the loss of directional control.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop and subsequent damage to the left landing gear and wing.