Aeronca 15AC accident near Pontiac, Michigan, December 23, 2016
On December 23, 2016 at about 9:18 pm local time, a 1949 Aeronca 15AC, registered N1337H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Pontiac, Michigan (Oakland County International A airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of the left wheel brake torque plate by maintenance personnel, which resulted in the separation of the torque plate from the axle endplate and a loss of directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2016 · about 9:18 pm local time
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan · Oakland County International A · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 15AC, built 1949 · all 15ACs on the register
- Registration
- N1337H · no longer on the register · serial 15AC-377
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was concluding a local flight in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. After numerous uneventful touch-and-go landings, the pilot attempted a full-stop landing when the airplane suddenly swerved to the left shortly after touchdown. The pilot attempted to regain directional control by applying right rudder and increasing engine power for an aborted landing; however, the airplane swerved to the right and collided with a snowbank next to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both main wing spars and the rudder. A postaccident examination revealed that the left wheel brake torque plate had separated from the landing gear axle endplate, which allowed the brake assembly to rotate with the brake disk that was attached to the wheel. The airplane had been modified with Cleveland wheels and brakes through a supplemental type certificate (STC). However, additional examination of the brake torque plates revealed that they had not been installed in accordance with the STC installation instructions. Specifically, the torque plates were not modified with two 0.25-inch holes that were required to ensure proper alignment with the landing gear axle endplate, and improperly sized bushings had been used during the installation. The improper torque plate installation allowed for movement of the torque plate and unintended transverse loading of the anchor bolts, which resulted in the fracture of the anchor bolts that secured the left brake torque plate to the axle endplate. The failure of the left brake likely caused the loss of directional control during landing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Modification/alteration › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 342 hours in all; 205 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 253 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 30, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,380 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 14, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI at 8:00 pm
- Destination: PTK Pontiac MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 5,676 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PTK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN17LA070.