No fatalities

1 Aug 2012: AERONCA 7AC — George Simek — Winter Haven, FL

Winter Haven, FL, United States

On 1 Aug 2012, an AERONCA 7AC operated by George Simek was involved in an aviation accident near Winter Haven, FL. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. 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

A student pilot performing a full-stop landing in a tailwheel airplane veered left after touchdown, departed the runway, and struck trees and bushes, causing substantial damage to the right wing.

Incident Overview

A student pilot experienced a loss of directional control during a landing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, resulting in a runway excursion and collision with vegetation. The pilot had completed two previous landings and elected to perform a full-stop landing on the third approach.

Approach and Landing

During the approach for the third landing, the pilot applied left aileron and right rudder control inputs to correct for a left crosswind. The airplane touched down in a three-point landing attitude. Immediately after touchdown, the airplane veered left.

Loss of Control and Runway Excursion

The pilot attempted to maintain directional control using rudder inputs, but the airplane continued to the left and departed the runway. The pilot then applied the brakes, but the airplane continued into terrain and collided with trees and bushes.

Damage and Mechanical Condition

The collision resulted in substantial damage to the right wing of the airplane. The student pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation.

Pilot Background

The pilot was a student pilot operating a tailwheel airplane. The specific model and registration of the aircraft were not included in the source.

Contributing factors

Student pilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained