No fatalities

22 Oct 2017: AERONCA 7DC — Salinas, CA

Salinas, CA, United States

On 22 Oct 2017, an AERONCA 7DC was involved in an aviation accident near Salinas, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing with a tailwind. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 7 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During landing, a tailwheel airplane swerved right after tailwheel touchdown, colliding with a taxiway sign. The left main landing gear collapsed and left wing struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage.

Accident Sequence

According to the pilot's report, the accident occurred during the landing phase. As the tailwheel of the airplane touched down, the aircraft swerved to the right and collided with a taxiway sign. Following the impact, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground.

Aircraft Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing as a result of the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Weather Conditions

The automated weather observation system at the accident airport provided wind data. Approximately 30 minutes before the accident, the wind was reported as calm. About 30 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 270° at 11 knots. The pilot had landed on runway 08.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operationContributed to outcome