BFO95LA086

Factual narrative

On August 21, 1995, about 1630 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, N2110E, piloted by a two certificated flight instructors (CFI), sustained substantial damage when it veered off the left side of the runway during an attempted takeoff from Clermont County Airport, in Batavia, Ohio. The two CFIs, the sole occupants, reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local pleasure flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and the accident occurred during the takeoff roll. The CFI/Pilot-in-Command (PIC) reported that the CFI rated Second Pilot occupied the front seat, and handled the flight controls during the ground operations and the initiation of the takeoff roll. The CFI/PIC stated that during the takeoff roll she told the Second Pilot to "raise the tail" of the taildragger airplane. She reported that at that point "the airplane veered abruptly and sharply to the left." The CFI/PIC stated "I've got it" and took the controls. The CFI/PIC reported that "by the time [I] secured the controls, the airplane was off the runway left side and it was not possible to regain directional control." The CFI/PIC stated that she was able to clear a ditch in the aircraft's path but "the airplane recontacted the surface crossing a parallel taxiway. [I] closed the throttle and the airplane came to a stop in a blackberry thicket." There was no evidence or claim of preimpact mechanical malfunction. The CFI/Second Pilot reported 2 hours of total flight experience in the accident make and model airplane. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR/PILOT-IN-COMMAND (CFI/PIC) TOLD THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RATED SECOND PILOT, WHO WAS AT THE CONTROLS, TO '...RAISE THE TAIL.' THE CFI/PIC REPORTED THAT AT THAT POINT 'THE AIRPLANE VEERED ABRUPTLY AND SHARPLY TO THE LEFT.' THE CFI/PIC STATED: 'BY THE TIME SHE SECURED THE CONTROLS, THE AIRPLANE WAS OFF THE RUNWAY LEFT SIDE AND IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.' THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OVER A DITCH, TOUCHED DOWN CROSSING A PARALLEL TAXIWAY AND CAME TO REST IN A BLACKBERRY THICKET. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OR CLAIM OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE CFI/SECOND PILOT REPORTED 2 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12