Fredrick Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frederick, Maryland 21701
Saturday, August 24, 1996 8:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he had started his departure roll on runway 12 with a normal power setting. He said he climbed at 55 mph in a steep but normal attitude at about 30 degrees nose up. He said that he leveled off at about 100 feet above ground with wings level, when (what seemed like) a 'giant hand' (he guessed turbulence; there did not seem to be a flight control problem) started to 'throw the airplane around.' The airplane rolled left and right to 45 degrees or so, without warning. He said the airplane then descended in a flat attitude as if it was pushed, and it hit the ground slightly left wing down at full throttle. A witness, who was watching the takeoff, stated that the airplane took off in a steep nose high attitude, and at about ten feet above the ground, it stalled and fell back onto the runway, striking the left wing and separating the left main landing gear. He said the aircraft then slid off the runway to the left.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in a stall and collision with the terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/24/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FREDERICK
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21701
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FREDRICK MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FDK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 304
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 750
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HGR
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1982
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 24 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 840
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:17AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N81543
NTSB Number IAD96LA140
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-364
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2098
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH E. WILLIAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1060 N. STATE LINE RD.
Aircraft Owner City MASURY
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44438
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FDK
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length 3600
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --