NTSB Factual Report

On December 23, 2016, about 1618 eastern standard time, an Aeronca model 15AC single-engine airplane, N1337H, was substantially damaged while landing at Oakland County International Airport (PTK), Pontiac, Michigan. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Samcran LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that departed about 1500.

The pilot reported that the purpose of the accident flight was to practice landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. After departure, he remained in the airport traffic pattern and completed 14 uneventful touch-and-go landings before deciding to conclude the flight with a full-stop landing on runway 27R (5,676 feet by 100 feet, asphalt). He reported that he made an uneventful full-stall (three-point) landing on the runway centerline. However, shortly after touchdown, the airplane suddenly swerved to the left. He attempted to regain directional control with an application of right rudder and advanced engine power for an aborted landing. The airplane then swerved to the right as he simultaneously applied forward stick pressure to get the tail airborne. The airplane continued to swerve right until it collided with a 3-foot snowbank situated alongside the runway. The airplane then nosed-over and came to rest in the snow-covered area located off the right side of the runway. The pilot was able to exit the airplane uninjured after releasing his lap belt. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to both main wing spars and the rudder.

The pilot had accumulated 205 hours in the accident airplane since he purchased it in May 2015; however, a majority of the accumulated time, 172.9 hours, was flown while the airplane was equipped with landing floats instead of a conventional (tailwheel) landing gear. He had logged 32.1 hours of tailwheel time, all of which was completed in the accident airplane. The pilot received his tailwheel endorsement on March 11, 2016. The conventional landing gear was reinstalled on the accident airplane during December 2016. The accident occurred during the second flight after the airplane was reequipped with a conventional landing gear.

At 1553, the PTK automated surface observing system reported the following weather conditions: wind 190 degrees true at 6 knots, visibility 5 miles with moderate haze, broken ceiling at 8,000 feet above ground level (agl), overcast ceiling at 14,000 feet agl, temperature 1 degrees Celsius, dew point -2 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting 30.18 inches of mercury.