Skyhaven Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rochester, New Hampshire 03867
Saturday, December 11, 2010 8:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the first three landings, with the student pilot at the controls, the airplane veered to the left upon touchdown. On the fourth landing, the airplane veered left again, and then the tailwheel momentarily lifted off the runway. When the tailwheel came back down, the airplane pulled hard to the left, but the flight instructor regained some directional control. The airplane departed the runway surface and struck the surface-mounted precision approach path indicator, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. A postaccident inspection by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the tailwheel unlocked easily when shaken manually.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The out-of-rig condition of the tailwheel lock, which resulted in a loss of directional control on landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/11/2010
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Rochester
Event State NEW HAMPSHIRE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 03867
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 431702N
Event Location Longitude 0705545W
Event Location Airport Skyhaven Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DAW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 322
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 851 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID DAW
Elevation of weather observation facility 322
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.21
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28561
NTSB Notification Source FAA New England ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 26 2011 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2053E
NTSB Number ERA11LA084
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERONCA
Aircraft Model 7CCM
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7AC-5623
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Oct 1 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2802
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FERWERDA BEECH LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City FREMONT
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03044-3249
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Rochester Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 344 Rochester Hill
Operator City Rochester
Operator State NH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 03867
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code DAW
Departure City Rochester
Departure State NH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code DAW
Destination City Rochester
Destination State NH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 17 2011 10:40AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 4001
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --