On September 1, 2002, a Champion 7ECA (registration N5091X) was involved in an aviation accident near Stow, MA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in the airplane departing the runway and striking a parked vehicle. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A tailwheel airplane departed the runway during landing, veered right, and collided with a parked car despite the pilot's attempt to climb away.
What happened
The pilot was conducting a landing operation in a tailwheel-equipped aircraft on Runway 3. The runway surface consisted of asphalt measuring 2,770 feet in length and 48 feet in width. Following touchdown, the aircraft experienced a bouncing motion and began to drift toward the right side of the pavement.
As the airplane left the paved surface, the pilot attempted to recover by applying full engine power to gain altitude. However, the aircraft was unable to clear obstacles and struck a car that was parked in an aircraft tie-down area adjacent to the runway.
The investigation
Investigative data included meteorological reports from a nearby location. Winds reported at an airport approximately 11 miles east of the accident site were from 120 degrees at 8 knots.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in the airplane departing the runway and striking a parked vehicle.