Accident Summary
On July 21, 2022, at approximately 1200 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, registration N84423, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Plant City, Florida. The pilot and passenger reported minor injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal repositioning flight following the aircraft's annual inspection.
Sequence of Events
The pilot stated that about 5 to 10 minutes after takeoff, the engine lost all power. He executed a forced landing to a field, but during the landing the airplane impacted a bump and bounced twice. It continued through a fence and struck a pipe in a drainage pond. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft came to rest upright at the edge of the pond.
Wreckage and Engine Examination
Initial inspection by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the forward fuselage and right wing strut. After recovery to a storage facility, a mechanic and an FAA inspector examined the wreckage. Rotating the propeller by hand confirmed camshaft, crankshaft, and valvetrain continuity to the rear accessory section, and thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders. Both magnetos produced spark at all leads when rotated by hand.
Fuel System Findings
The carburetor was found absent of fuel. Approximately 75 milliliters of fuel remained in the gascolator. The FAA inspector initially observed no fuel in the fuel tank. A subsequent borescope examination confirmed the tank was not breached, but only a small, immeasurable amount of fuel was present in one corner; the tank was otherwise empty.