What happened
On 20 June 2012, an Aeronca 11BC Chief, registration G-BUTF, was involved in an accident during a private flight at High Easter Airfield, Essex. The pilot, who possessed no prior experience on this specific aircraft type, conducted a series of taxi maneuvers to ensure control confidence before attempting takeoff. After taxiing along the runway, the pilot applied full power for the takeoff roll.
As the aircraft reached speeds between 25 and 35 mph, the tail lifted. During an attempt to apply a right rudder correction, the pilot inadvertently engaged the right heel brake. This caused the aircraft to turn abruptly toward the right, resulting in the aircraft skidding into a crop field located adjacent to the runway. The incident resulted in no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of the takeoff roll and the pilot's inputs. It was established that the pilot had performed a fast taxi prior to the accident to familiarize himself with the controls. The physical evidence and the pilot's account indicated that the sudden deviation from the runway centerline was triggered by the unintended application of the right heel brake during the initial rudder input.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained damage to the rudder, tailplane, tailwheel, left wingtip, and the right main wheel.
- The primary cause of the excursion was the accidental depression of the right heel brake while the pilot was attempting to apply right rudder input.