On February 13, 1994, an Aeronca 7AC (registration N81616) operated by Larry T. Councell was involved in an aviation accident near Dowagiac, MI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT, THE CROSSWIND, AND SNOW BESIDE THE RUNWAY. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a practice taxi run on Runway 27, the pilot applied about 50% power, causing the tailwheel to lift off. The airplane veered right toward a runway light and snowbank. The pilot reduced power and corrected with rudder, then lifted the aircraft over the snowbank, but it settled into snow and nosed over.
Pilot's Account
The pilot reported that he decided to practice a taxi run on Runway 27 before takeoff. During the taxi run, he applied approximately 50 percent of the engine power, which caused the airplane's tailwheel to lift off the ground. When the tail lifted, the airplane veered to the right toward a runway light and a snow bank. The pilot stated that he reduced power and corrected with rudder, but to avoid a collision, he lifted the aircraft over the snowbank.
Sequence of Events
After the aircraft cleared—or hopped over—the snowbank, it settled into the snow and nosed over. The pilot reported that the wind was from the south at 5 to 10 knots with gusts to 12 knots.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The pilot had only about 6 hours of experience in this make and model of aircraft. No further details about the aircraft, such as registration or engine count, were provided in the source.