No fatalities

7 Aug 2012: AERONCA 7CCM — Norridgewock, ME

Norridgewock, ME, United States

On 7 Aug 2012, an AERONCA 7CCM was involved in an aviation accident near Norridgewock, ME. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 10 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During landing on runway 21, a student pilot experienced two right wing rises, lost directional control, and the aircraft departed the runway, striking a tree 270 feet away. No mechanical anomalies were found.

Incident Overview

A student pilot was landing on runway 21 when, immediately after the main landing gear contacted the runway, the right wing rose. The pilot applied left rudder and right aileron to keep the aircraft centered on the runway. Shortly thereafter, the right wing rose a second time. The airplane then departed the right side of the runway and came to rest after the right wing impacted a tree located 270 feet from the runway.

Wind Conditions

A certified flight instructor at the airport stated that the wind favored runway 21 but had reversed direction during the accident flight. A meteorological report from the airport indicated wind from 190 degrees at 3 knots about the time of the accident, with no wind speeds exceeding 3 knots throughout the duration of the landing roll.

Post-Accident Inspection

Post-accident inspection revealed substantial damage to the right wing spar. The inspection did not reveal any evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane following the accident.

Conclusion

No probable cause was stated in the source.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedStudent pilot