Accident Overview
On August 21, 2022, at approximately 1400 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, registration N44FC, was substantially damaged during a landing accident at Seminole Lake Gliderport near Clermont, Florida. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, reported no injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, while landing on runway 18, the airplane veered left off the runway after the tailwheel touched down. The right wing subsequently struck a tree, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing structure.
Pilot and Mechanic Observations
The pilot noted that the internal tailwheel centering lock spring may have been fractured or disconnected. A mechanic who examined the airplane later provided additional insight. The mechanic stated that he was intimately familiar with the make and model of tailwheel, having accumulated over 8,000 hours of flight experience in tailwheel aircraft and holding inspection authorization for more than 50 years. He explained that the tailwheel locking mechanism on this model tends to wear after 500 to 700 hours of operation. Once worn, although the tailwheel is designed to follow rudder inputs, it may remain deflected to one side after the rudder is returned to neutral.
Post-Accident Examination
The mechanic inspected the accident tailwheel in December 2022. He determined through external examination that the unit was worn, without further disassembly, as he had observed similar wear patterns multiple times in the past. Following the accident, the old Maule tailwheel was replaced with a new API tailwheel, after which the pilot reported a marked improvement in the aircraft's ground steering characteristics.
Damage Assessment
The accident resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. No other damage was reported. The aircraft was removed from service for repair.
Conclusion
The available information indicates that a worn tailwheel locking mechanism may have contributed to the loss of directional control during landing, leading to the ground excursion and collision with a tree. No official probable cause has been determined by the investigating authority.