On September 17, 2000, an Aeronca 11AC-991 (registration N9354E) was involved in an aviation accident near Gettysburg, PA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane after landing which resulted in the inadvertent ground loop. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot witnessed the airplane flare 3-4 feet too high, resulting in a hard touchdown on the right main landing gear. The aircraft veered 40-50 degrees right, struck a parked airplane, and came to rest on its nose cowling.
Incident Overview
According to a witness, the airplane flared approximately 3-4 feet too high during landing, leading to a hard touchdown on the right main landing gear. Immediately after touchdown, the aircraft veered 40-50 degrees to the right, heading toward a line of parked airplanes.
Collision and Final Resting Position
The airplane then struck a parked aircraft. After the collision, the airplane rotated on its right wing tip and came to rest on its nose cowling.
Pilot Statement
In a written narrative, the pilot described the event as a "ground loop" that occurred after touchdown.