Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dauphin Island, Alabama 36608
Friday, March 24, 1995 14:05 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING PARALLEL TO THE SHORE LINE AT A LOW ALTITUDE. APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET ABOVE THE WATER, THE PILOT EXECUTED A SHALLOW, ASCENDING LEFT-HAND TURN, WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS A 'CROP DUSTER TURN'. HE STATED THAT TOO MUCH LEFT RUDDER WAS APPLIED, AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND BECAME INVERTED. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND PULLED BACK ON THE STICK, WHICH KEPT THE AIRPLANE STALLED. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE WATER IN A NEAR-VERTICAL ATTITUDE. DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION, THE RIGHT AILERON PUSH-PULL ROD WAS DISCOVERED BROKEN BECAUSE OF DOUBLE-BENDING FATIGUE FAILURE. THE PILOT STATED THERE WERE NO CONTROL PROBLEMS, NOR ANY OTHER MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE, PRIOR TO THE STALL. THE SAFETY BOARD BELIEVES THAT THE AILERON ROD BROKE DURING IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE RUDDER CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL, AND IMPROPER USE OF THE ELEVATOR CONTROL, IN THAT HE MAINTAINED BACK PRESSURE AFTER THE STALL ENTRY, KEEPING THE AIRPLANE IN A STALLED CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1405
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City DAUPHIN ISLAND
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36608
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID MOB
Elevation of weather observation facility 26
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 633
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 24 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1525
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N83796
NTSB Number ATL95LA071
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERONCA
Aircraft Model 7AC
Aircraft Series Identifier 7AC
Aircraft Serial Number 7AC-2473
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GRICE, HILLERY W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address POST OFFICE BOX 142
Aircraft Owner City THEODORE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36590
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 5R7
Departure City BAYOU LA BATRE
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --