No fatalities

26 Jul 2016: AERONCA 11AC — Gig Harbor, WA

Gig Harbor, WA, United States

On 26 Jul 2016, an AERONCA 11AC was involved in an aviation accident near Gig Harbor, WA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, and subsequent wing tip strike, which resulted in substantial damage to the rear spar. 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 reported losing directional control after touchdown during the fourth landing in a tailwheel airplane, leading to a runway excursion and wing strike.

Overview

A student pilot experienced a loss of control while conducting the fourth landing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that after touchdown, the airplane was "a little out of alignment" and he "started to lose control." In response, he advanced the throttle in an attempt to abort the landing, but was unable to regain control. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway before the pilot reduced throttle, allowing the airplane to roll back onto the runway surface.

Damage

A post-accident examination revealed that the right wing tip had struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing rear spar.

Mechanical Condition

The student pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedStudent/instructed pilot