NTSB Factual Report

On May 12, 2002, approximately 1315 Pacific daylight time, an Aeronca 7-EC, N4712E, collided with a parked aircraft after departing the runway surface during the landing roll at Flying M Ranch, Oregon. The airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured, but the aircraft, which had been rented from Lenair, Inc., of Hubbard, Oregon, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Lenhardt Field, Hubbard, Oregon, about 45 minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an ELT activation.

According to the pilot, he was en route to Independence, Oregon, when he flew past Flying M Ranch and decided to land there. After circling the strip a couple of times to check traffic and the winds, he entered the pattern, and eventually turned final with a slight tailwind. Although he touched down near where he desired, the tree line at the far end of the field suddenly appeared closer than he expected. He therefore immediately got on the brakes, which resulted in the aircraft starting to veer toward the right side of the runway. Although he attempted to keep the aircraft within the confines of the runway surface, he was unable to do so, and its right wing impacted the propeller of a parked aircraft off the right side of the landing area. In a telephone interview with the Investigator-In-Charge (IIC), the pilot said that he believes that if he had continued a normal rollout and applied brakes after the aircraft had slowed, he would have had no problem stopping in the required distance.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while applying the brakes during the landing roll. Factors include a tailwind and trees at the far end of the airstrip.