Porter County Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Valparaiso, Indiana 46383
Thursday, September 1, 2011 8:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During landing, the airplane exited the right side of the runway and struck a ditch, and the main landing gear collapsed. No defects were found with the airplane's brake system. Photographic evidence of skid marks showed that the tailwheel experienced shimmy during the landing, which continued to the side of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed some play in the tailwheel assembly due to wear, which allowed the tailwheel to shimmy during the landing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the wear in the tailwheel assembly.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/2011
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 815
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Valparaiso
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46383
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 412714N
Event Location Longitude 0870025W
Event Location Airport Porter County Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VPZ
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 770
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 845 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID VPZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 770
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report NWS SRRS PRODUCTS FOR: 2011090110
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) 30942
NTSB Notification Source FAA - South Bend, Indiana FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2013 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N83533
NTSB Number CEN11LA614
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 7AC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7AC-2209
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 26 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3231
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Skyview Aviation LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Tracy
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95377
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Melissa Pemberton
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Groveland
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 95321
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 6D6
Departure City Greenville
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 600
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code VPZ
Destination City Valparaiso
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2013 2:56PM
User who most recently changed record brajo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 09
Runway Length 7001
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --