Accident Overview
On May 27, 2022, about 1900 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, registration N84583, was substantially damaged when it experienced an accident near Monongahela, Pennsylvania. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Witness Accounts
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the accident site, witnesses reported that the airplane departed Rostraver Airport (FWQ), Monongahela, Pennsylvania, and was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. During one takeoff, the airplane pitched up sharply and then went straight down.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that he was in the process of purchasing the airplane when the accident occurred. On the day of the accident, he performed several takeoffs and landings at another airport before flying to FWQ to obtain fuel. He performed a few more takeoffs and landings in the traffic pattern at FWQ. For the final takeoff, he assumed that the airplane got too slow and stalled.
Aircraft Examination
Examination of the airplane at the accident site revealed that both wings remained attached to the fuselage, with the outboard leading edges impact damaged. The wooden propeller remained attached to the engine; one propeller blade was splintered along its entire span, and the other blade was splintered about half its span. After recovery, continuity of the flight controls to all control surfaces was confirmed. The engine was examined, and compression and suction were observed on all cylinders. Crankshaft and valvetrain continuity were confirmed when the propeller was rotated by hand. The cylinders were examined with a lighted borescope, and no anomalies were noted with the piston faces, cylinder walls, or valves. The magnetos were removed and produced spark on all towers. There were no anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation before the accident.
Pilot Experience
A review of the pilot’s logbooks revealed that he had no documented flight experience in the accident airplane make and model. The seller of the airplane stated that the accident flight was the pilot’s first flight in that airplane. The pilot’s tailwheel endorsement was completed on April 20, 2022, in an American Champion 7ECA Citrabria; however, no flight time was documented in conjunction with that endorsement.