According to the pilot, he was going to take his grandson and great grandson on a flight around the airport in Frostproof, Florida. He told investigators that the great grandson was sitting on the lap of his grandson in the Ercoupe 415-C.
During takeoff, as the airplane was lifting off the runway, the great grandson reached for the controls, turned them to the right, and pulled back.
The airplane veered to the right, exited the runway, and hit a fence, substantially damaging the airplane. All three on board sustained minor injuries.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s loss of directional control during takeoff as a result of a child reaching for and manipulating the flight controls.
To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.
This July 2021 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.
I assume gramps taught the grandson some new words.
For all pilots… when flying with children of any size… including adults who act like children or whos’ behavior is unknown… in any seat… beware wary of their unexpected actions at the worst possible times.
Sigh…my lesson-learned: I was ALMOST guilty of causing a USAF mishap, as a young/eager aero-engineer, in the early 1980s.
During my first flight in a OV-10A [for technical purposes]… during an aggressive maneuver… I inadvertently grabbed the ‘yellow-ring’ between my legs and felt the ring ‘move-up a tiny bit’. I froze in shock and then jammed-the ring back down hard and let it go… and recovered my composure. No-need to say anything to the pilot in the front seat… No harm-no-foul… right?
Hmmmm… A little more ‘of-a-pull on the yellow ring’ and I would have ejected myself. Thank God it didn’t happen.
Root cause, three people in a two place aircraft. Fault the pilot.
Or mainly undisciplined kids.
NO. Absolutely the pilot is to blame. Three people in a two-place plane? Pretty poor judgement. With the child sitting on his father’s lap (probably not secured in any way) it’s fortunate that there wasn’t a death.
I do agree, indeed, with You, Mr. Roger Healy.