Aeronca 7AC N85018 accident near Early, Texas

Probable cause

The unsecured cup holder that restricted left rudder pedal movement, which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing roll.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was conducting a landing in the tailwheel-equipped airplane when during landing roll the airplane began to swerve right. The pilot was unable to regain directional control using a left rudder input. The airplane departed the right edge of the runway and impacted a split rail fence before it came to rest. The fuselage, right wing, right-wing struts, and vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged during the runway excursion.

The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. However, after the accident he located a removable plastic cup holder under the left rudder pedal for the rear seat position. The pilot reported that he flew the airplane from the front seat position. The pilot purchased the airplane 7 days before the accident. After the accident, the pilot contacted the previous owner of the airplane who confirmed that the removable cup holder had been left in the airplane.

Based on the available information, it is likely the removable cup holder became wedged under the left rudder pedal for the rear seat position, which restricted the movement of the interconnected (front/rear) left rudder pedals. Without left rudder pedal input, the pilot only had left brake to correct for the right swerve during landing roll.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN26LA088 for the full record.