No fatalities

26 Sep 2009: AERONCA 11AC — Augusta, KS

Augusta, KS, United States

On 26 Sep 2009, an AERONCA 11AC was involved in an aviation accident near Augusta, KS. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing with a quartering tailwind. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During an orientation flight with one passenger, the pilot landed with a quartering right tailwind. The tail swerved left on touchdown; despite corrective inputs, the airplane departed the runway and spun, causing damage.

Accident Sequence

A private pilot was conducting an orientation flight for one passenger. The landing was performed with a quartering right tailwind. Upon touchdown, the airplane's tail swerved sharply to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the swerve by applying right rudder and adding power. The airplane continued to move left, departed the runway surface, and spun around on the ground.

Damage Sustained

The left main landing gear was completely broken off the airplane. The left longeron, a major longitudinal structural element of the fuselage, was bent. The left horizontal stabilizer was also bent.

Pilot Statement

The pilot stated that there was nothing wrong with the airplane to cause the accident.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation