Event SEA98LA107

Factual narrative

On June 20, 1998, approximately 0900 mountain daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, N8030P, impacted the terrain during an attempted VFR go-around at Murphy Airport, Murphy, Idaho. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, received minor injuries, and the aircraft, which was owned and operated by Rocky Mountain Air Service, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, departed Nampa Municipal Airport, Nampa, Idaho, about 30 minutes earlier, and was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed, and the ELT, which was activated by the impact, was turned off at the scene. According to the pilot, after touching down in a 10 to 15 knot crosswind, the aircraft "...moved right very quickly." He therefore elected to execute a go-around. After initiating the go-around, the pilot felt that his aircraft was not climbing fast enough to clear the terrain ahead. He therefore made a crosswind turn in order to head in a direction where it appeared the aircraft might be able to successfully clear the terrain. That turn placed the aircraft on a heading where it had an almost direct tailwind of 10 to 15 knots. The strong tailwind resulted in an increased ground speed and therefore an even greater need for an increased climb rate. As the pilot pulled the nose up in an attempt to keep the aircraft climbing, it stalled and the right wing caught the terrain causing the aircraft to cartwheel. A post-accident calculation determined that the density altitude at the time of the attempted go-around was approximately 4,800 feet. After touching down in a 10 to 15 knot crosswind, the pilot found that the aircraft was moving '...quickly to the right.' He therefore decided to execute a go-around. Although the aircraft successfully lifted off the runway, the high density altitude kept it from outclimbing the surrounding terrain. As the pilot raised the nose of the aircraft in an attempt to keep it climbing over the rising terrain, the aircraft stalled, caught a wing and cartwheeled. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12