Skip to content

ERA12CA490

2012-08-01 · Winter Haven, Florida, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport GIF

Current FAA registration · N1060E

Make / Model
AERONCA 7AC
Year of manufacture
1946 · 66 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES (65 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19560205
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A01D5B

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Factual narrative

The student pilot stated that he had performed two landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, then elected to perform a full stop landing. During approach for the third landing, he applied left aileron and right rudder control inputs to correct for a left crosswind; however, after touchdown in a three-point landing, the airplane veered left. He attempted to maintain directional control with the rudder, but the airplane continued to the left and departed the runway. He applied the brakes, but the airplane collided with trees and bushes resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. The student pilot had performed two takeoffs and landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane and then elected to perform a full-stop, three-point landing. The student pilot stated that he applied left aileron and right rudder control inputs to correct for a left crosswind during the landing approach; however, after the three-point landing, the airplane veered to the left. He attempted to regain directional control, but the airplane continued off the left side of the runway, where it collided with trees and bushes, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2012_ERA12CA490.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.