AERONCA 7BCM

Full Narrative

The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 19, a 5,000-foot-long, 75-foot-wide asphalt runway, when the airplane encountered a sudden gust of wind. The airplane veered 90 degrees to the right, struck a runway light located about 2,000 feet from the approach end of the runway and a chain-link fence, before coming to rest in a wooded area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported 631 hours of total flight experience, which included 30 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane, and 2 hours during the 30 days preceding the accident. He also stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems during the flight. Winds report at an airport located about 25 miles north of the accident site, about the time of the accident, were variable at 3 knots. The pilot estimated the winds at the time of the accident were from 200 degrees at 5 knots, gusting to 20 knots.