Accident Aeronca 7AC N3066E, Sunday 1 February 2009

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Date:	Sunday 1 February 2009
Time:	15:30 LT
Type:	Aeronca 7AC
Owner/operator:
Registration:	N3066E
MSN:	7AC-6655
Total airframe hrs:	5442 hours
Engine model:	Continental A-65-8
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Cameron, South Carolina - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Columbia-Owens Field, SC (CUB/KCUB)
Destination airport:	Columbia-Owens Field, SC (CUB/KCUB)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot reported that he had been flying for about 1 hour, and was at an altitude of 800 feet mean sea level, when the engine began to run rough. The pilot elected to perform a precautionary off-airport landing to a nearby cotton field. During the subsequent landing roll, the airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the firewall and vertical stabilizer. Examination of the engine, which included a test run, did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. A weather observation taken at an airport located about 30 miles southeast of the accident site, about the time of the accident, included a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius (C) and a dew point of -4 degrees C. The pilot did not use the carburetor heat control after experiencing the engine roughness; however, atmospheric conditions at the time were not conducive to the formation of carburetor ice.

Probable Cause: A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Accident investigation: