Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Crisp County-Cordele Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Cordele, Georgia 31015
Thursday, October 16, 2014 12:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On October 16, 2014, about 1230 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC airplane, N946DR, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Crisp County Cordele Airport (CKF), Cordele, Georgia. The private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The planned cross-country flight departed from CKF at 1230 and was destined for Peach State Airport (GA2), Williamson, Georgia. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to witnesses, the accident airplane was the first of four airplanes to depart in sequence from runway 28, a 5,001-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The airplane lifted off from the runway about midfield and started a climb. After reaching about 150 feet above ground level, the airplane entered a gradual left turn that progressed into a steep turn and slight descent. The airplane then entered a nose down attitude before it impacted the ground, spun around and came to rest.
The airplane came to rest in a grass area in a flat attitude, on a southerly heading about 350 feet from the runway. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The wings remained attached to the fuselage; the right wing displayed both outboard and inboard leading edge crush damage and the inboard wood spar was broken at the fuselage. The inboard section of the left wing exhibited vertical crush damage. No damage was noted on the elevator and rudder control surfaces and the elevator trim tab was observed in the slight nose up position. Both propeller blades remained attached to the propeller hub. Blade A exhibited some chordwise scratches and curling at the blade tip. Blade B also displayed chordwise scratches and a slight bend at the blade tip. Examination of the accident site and wreckage revealed that the airplane right wing made contact with the ground before the airplane spun and came to rest.
Further postaccident examination of the airframe was conducted at a secure facility and fuel system continuity was confirmed from the wing tanks, through the fuel gascolater, to the engine. Flight control continuity was established from the control stick in the cockpit to the ailerons and elevator, and from the rudder pedals to the rudder.
Examination of the seat belt restraints revealed that the pilot's lab belt and shoulder harness had been cut by the first responder team.
The pilot held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on December 11, 2013. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 3,098 hours; of which, 88 hours were flown during the previous 6 months.
A handheld Garmin 396 global positioning system receiver was recovered from the cockpit and forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory, Washington, DC, for download.
The engine was retained for further examination.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/16/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1230 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Cordele |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 31015 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 315911N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0834639W |
| Event Location Airport | CRISP COUNTY-CORDELE |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CKF |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 231 |
| Airport Elevation | 310 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1215 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CKF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 310 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.97 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 21 2014 3:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N946DR |
| NTSB Number | ERA15FA017 |
| 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-4835 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1450 |
| 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 | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ST JULIEN JANICE C |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | PORT SAINT LUCIE |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 349872522 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | ST JULIEN JANICE C |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | PORT SAINT LUCIE |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 349872522 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CKF |
| Departure City | CORDELE |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1230 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | GA2 |
| Destination City | WILLIAMSON |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 21 2014 3:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 28 |
| Runway Length | 5001 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |