On August 21, 1995, an Aeronca 7AC (registration N2110E) was involved in an aviation accident near Batavia, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: was the the second pilot's loss of directional control during the takeoff roll, and the flight instructor/pilot-in-command's inadequate supervision of the flight instructor/second pilot. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During takeoff roll, the airplane veered left and departed the runway after the CFI instructed the second pilot to raise the tail. No mechanical malfunction was found.
Event Description
During the takeoff roll, the certificated flight instructor/pilot-in-command (CFI/PIC) instructed the flight instructor rated second pilot, who was at the controls, to raise the tail. According to the CFI/PIC, the airplane then veered abruptly and sharply to the left. The CFI/PIC stated that by the time she took control of the aircraft, it had already left the runway surface on the left side and directional control could not be regained.
Sequence of Events
After departing the runway, the aircraft continued over a ditch and touched down while crossing a parallel taxiway. It ultimately came to rest in a blackberry thicket. The CFI/PIC reported no evidence or claim of any preimpact mechanical malfunction. The flight instructor rated second pilot had accumulated 2 hours of total flight experience in the accident make and model airplane.