The pilot reported that he departed to the north with a left crosswind. Once the Aeronca 7AC became airborne, it weathervaned into the wind and veered left of the runway at the airport in East Moriches, N.Y.
The left wing clipped a tree, and the airplane subsequently nosed over.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane or engine. He added it was probably a combination of “not doing enough things” that resulted in the loss of directional control.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while taking off in a crosswind, which resulted in a collision with a tree.
NTSB Identification: ERA15LA251
This June 2015 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
An aircraft doesn’t ‘weathervane’ in the air. It ‘weathervanes’ only when attached to the ground. It had to have either drifted downwind (or to the right in this instance) or he put too much left rudder when first airborne. This comment is suspicious…..
I think it’s plausible in general but the terminology is not quite right. As the airplane becomes airborne, it will roll into the wind assuming the ailerons are deflected in the proper direction. At that point, the downwind rudder pressure has to be increased to hold the nose down the runway. What do we all know is the biggest weakness with all pilots – the rudder. So assuming the right rudder pressure was not increased enough or at all, and the airplane was now airborne in a left bank because of the left crosswind, you will then have an uncoordinated left turn into the wind, which evidently felt like a weathervaning event, or he just used the wrong terminology.
The OP is just confusing the metaphor weather-vane with a ‘yawing moment’ when a wind gust hits the vertical stabilizer pivoting the plane on it’s center of axis. If this happens on takeoff the correct procedure is to crab into the wind while keeping the wing level.
I have to agree with Jim. If the plane did indeed get off the ground as the pilot reported, then it would drift downwind, or to the right. A plane does not “weathervane” into the wind once it is airborne. Something smells about this report. The pilot evidently did not give the correct facts, or all the facts.
Small underpowered type aircraft, have no business trying to compete with mother nature!!!
I’ll call BS on this report. Once airborne with the wheels off the ground an airplane drifts.
The correct report should have said the pilot failed to use controls properly or selected the wrong runway or technique and lost directional control BEFORE take off. The pilot failed to gain flying speed and allowed the wing to contact the ground.
Tiny ancient light plane taking off in a stiff enough cross-wind to weathervane and cause a crash….do we really need to say anything on this one?