# Accident 19990203013599A: Bbavia 7KCAB, Crystal River, FL, February 3, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 3, 1999, 15:15 local time - Place: Crystal River, FL - Airport: Homosassa Air Terminal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 28.8955° N, 82.6019° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Crystal River, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.8955&lon=-82.6019&mi=10 - Aircraft: N68573, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N68573) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bellanca 7KCAB (registry code 1220701, https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7kcab) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-320 series (registry code 41509, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BBAVIA 7KCAB - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 9,000 total, 3 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA074) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990203013599A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON FEBRUARY 3, 1999, ABOUT 1515 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A BELLANCA 7KCAB, N68573, REGISTERED TO CRYSTAL AERO GROUP, INC., RAN OFF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING TAKEOFF AT CRYSTAL RIVER AIRPORT, CRYSTAL RIVER, FLORIDA, WHILE ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED, THE TAIL LIFTED OFF, AND THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN VEERED TO THE LEFT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE DEPARTURE FROM RUNWAY HEADING. HE MAINTAINED ENGINE POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE GAINING HEIGHT, BUT WAS STILL TURNING TO THE LEFT. THE WINGS REMAINED LEVEL AND THERE WAS NO BUFFET. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STRUCK THE HIGHER PART OF SOME SMALL TREES AND HE CLOSED THE ENGINE THROTTLE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST, NOSE DOWN, IN ABOUT 2 FEET OF WATER.(.4) ON FEBRUARY 3, 1999, ABOUT 1515 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A BELLANCA 7KCAB, N68573, REGISTERED TO CRYSTAL AERO GROUP, INC., RAN OFF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN DURING TAKEOFF AT CRYSTAL RIVER AIRPORT, CRYSTAL RIVER, FLORIDA, WHILE ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED, THE TAIL LIFTED OFF, AND THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN VEERED TO THE LEFT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE DEPARTURE FROM RUNWAY HEADING. HE MAINTAINED ENGINE POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE GAINING HEIGHT, BUT WAS STILL TURNING TO THE LEFT. THE WINGS REMAINED LEVEL AND THERE WAS NO BUFFET. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STRUCK THE HIGHER PART OF SOME SMALL TREES AND HE CLOSED THE ENGINE THROTTLE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST, NOSE DOWN, IN ABOUT 2 FEET OF WATER. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS PERFORMED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR. THE ENGINE ROTATED AND CONTINUITY OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY WAS CONFIRMED. THE PROPELLER HAD DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH ROTATION AT LOW POWER AT THE TIME OF GROUND IMPACT. THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM WAS CLEAR OF DEBRIS AND CONTAMINATION AND 100LL FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE SYSTEM. ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS OPERATED NORMAL. THE INSPECTOR STATED HE REVIEWED A PHOTO TAKEN SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND IT SHOWED A BRANCH HAD LODGED IN THE ELEVATOR FORCING THE ELEVATOR TO THE FULL DOWN OR AIRCRAFT NOSE DOWN POSITION. (SEE ATTACHED INSPECTOR STATEMENT) ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MIA99LA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA074), Feb 3, 1999: Bellanca 7KCAB (N68573), Crystal River, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during takeoff and his failure to abort the takeoff after directional control was lost. ## Other reports on N68573 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19860904087559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860904087559A), Sep 4, 1986: Bbavia 7KCAB (N68573), Poston, AZ, Substantial damage. Pilot failed to control aircraft and veered off the side of the runway. Aircraft struck a dirt berm. - [Incident 19780712043529I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780712043529I), Jul 12, 1978: Blanca 7KCAB (N68573), Chino, CA, Minor damage. Student pilot applied one brake only when aircraft moved after engine start. Struck parked aircraft N1025M. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.