Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Dalton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Flushing, Michigan 48433
Tuesady, July 22, 2014 10:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On July 22, 2014, about 1015 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca model 11AC airplane, N4453P, was substantially damaged during takeoff on runway 18 (2,510 feet by 50 feet, asphalt) at the Dalton Airport (3DA), Flushing, Michigan. The private pilot and his flight instructor sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by Father John 77 Flying Club under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area instructional flight that was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot flying, who was receiving a flight check to satisfy the flying club's insurance currency requirements, reported that he had not flown the tail wheel-equipped airplane since September 2013. He stated that during the takeoff roll, before the tail became airborne, the airplane suddenly entered a right swerve that he was unable to correct for with normal flight control and brake inputs. The flight instructor reduced engine power as the airplane departed the right side of the runway. The airplane subsequently collided with a hangar structure located alongside the runway. The left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged during the accident.
The instructor pilot reported that the airplane entered a right swerve shortly after engine power was increased for the takeoff roll. When the pilot-receiving-instruction was unable to regain directional control with normal flight control inputs, the flight instructor applied additional engine power and left rudder input; however, the airplane continued in the right swerve. The flight instructor ultimately reduced engine power, but the airplane continued off the right side of the runway and collided with a hangar structure.
A postaccident airplane examination was completed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Inspector. The FAA examination did not reveal any anomalies with the airplane's flight controls, brake system, or tail wheel assembly that would have prevented normal operation.
At 0953, the automated surface observing system (ASOS) located at Bishop International Airport (FNT), about 6 miles southeast of the accident site, reported: a variable wind direction at 5 knots; visibility 10 miles; clear sky; temperature 27 degrees Celsius, dew point 18 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.09 inches of mercury.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/22/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1015 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Flushing |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48433 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 430309N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0834818W |
| Event Location Airport | Dalton Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 3DA |
| 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 | 733 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 153 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FNT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 782 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KFNT 221353Z VRB05KT 10SM CLR 27/18 A3009 RM |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | Central Region Duty Officer, J |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 15 2014 7:07AM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4453P |
| NTSB Number | CEN14LA387 |
| 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 | 11AC |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 11AC318 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1250 |
| 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 | Apr 12 2014 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 7.5 |
| Airframe Hours | 971 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Father John 77 Flying Club |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO Box 265 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Flushing |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48433 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Father John 77 Flying Club |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO Box 265 |
| Operator City | Flushing |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 48433 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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 | 3DA |
| Departure City | Flushing |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1015 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 3DA |
| Destination City | Flushing |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 15 2014 7:32AM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 2510 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |