History of Flight
On August 25, 2013, at approximately 0615 eastern daylight time, a privately operated Aeronca 7AC, registration N83863, departed from Taunton Municipal Airport (TAN) in Taunton, Massachusetts. The airplane was destroyed in a postcrash fire after impacting the ground during the initial climb. The private pilot owner and a private pilot passenger sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The airplane had been purchased by the owner on July 31, 2013, and was based at TAN. According to the airport manager, the passenger also owned a similar Aeronca 7AC based at the airport. A security access log showed that the passenger's credentials were used to enter the ramp area at 0537.
A witness at the airport observed the aircraft take off from runway 30, a 3,500-foot-long asphalt runway. The airplane accelerated and climbed normally to an estimated altitude between 50 and 100 feet above ground level. It then entered a slow right turn and began descending until it struck the ground and immediately caught fire. The witness reported no unusual engine sounds during the sequence. The airplane came to rest in a ditch about 1,100 feet from the runway's beginning and 250 feet to the right of runway 30.
Personnel Information
The pilot-owner was 69 years old and held a private pilot certificate for single-engine land aircraft, issued in April 1986. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was dated October 15, 1996, at which time he reported 200 total flight hours with no flying in the previous six months. His pilot logbook was not located.
The pilot-passenger was 61 years old and held a private pilot certificate issued in December 1982, also for single-engine land aircraft. His most recent medical certificate was from September 30, 2010, when he reported 1,525 total flight hours, including 30 hours in the prior six months. His logbook was also not found.
Aircraft Information
The Aeronca 7AC is a two-seat, tandem, high-wing, conventional-gear aircraft, manufactured in 1946. It was powered by a Continental Motors C85-12 85-horsepower engine. The airframe consisted of welded steel tubing covered with fabric; the wings featured a wood spar and hydro-formed aluminum alloy ribs. Flight and engine controls could be operated from both seats.
According to FAA records, the airplane was eligible for operation as a light sport aircraft (LSA). A local mechanic reported that the pilot-owner, lacking a current medical certificate, intended to operate it as an LSA. Fueling records from August 11, 2013, showed two refuelings at TAN: 5.7 and 7.3 gallons of aviation fuel. The airplane's logbooks were not located. A pilot operating handbook for the same model described a preflight walk-around inspection that included checking the rudder control surface and a pre-takeoff flight control check.
Meteorological Information
Weather reported at Norwood Memorial Airport (OWD) at 0953, later than the accident time, indicated wind from 100 degrees at 11 knots, visibility 2 miles in mist, overcast ceiling at 500 feet, temperature 17°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.58 inches of mercury. Conditions at the accident site were described as visual meteorological.
Wreckage and Impact Information
All components of the airplane were found at the accident site. The aircraft came to rest upright, with the nose section folded upward and aft, exposing the underside of the engine. A ground scar containing wooden propeller fragments, windshield pieces, and the right wingtip navigation light was located about 15 feet south of the main wreckage. A postcrash fire destroyed the cockpit, consumed the propeller and all fabric coverings except for the left aileron. Flight control cables remained connected at all surfaces.
A rudder control gust lock, approximately 48 inches long and made of 3/4-inch PVC tubing covered with foam, was found installed over the rudder and vertical stabilizer. This lock was similar to one observed on another Aeronca (a 7CCM) parked at TAN and reportedly owned by the passenger. Examination of the engine, including rotation of the crankshaft, verification of valve train continuity, and compression checks, revealed no preimpact malfunctions.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies performed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner listed the cause of death for the pilot-owner as blunt chest and abdominal trauma, and for the pilot-passenger as smoke inhalation. Toxicological testing was conducted on both occupants by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory.