# Accident 20010520011149A: Bbavia 7GCBC, Reno, NV, May 20, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 20, 2001, 12:20 local time - Place: Reno, NV - Airport: Reno/Stead Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.9094° N, 119.6806° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9094&lon=-119.6806&mi=10 - Aircraft: N86727, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N86727) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bellanca 7GCBC (registry code 1220601, https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7gcbc) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (registry code 42103, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-a2d) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BBAVIA 7GCBC - Reported engine: LYC O320A2B - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 306 total, 92 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA189) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010520011149A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19)ON MAY 20, 2001, ABOUT 1220 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELLANCA 7GCBC, N86727, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AXLE FRACTURED AND COLLAPSED ON LANDING AT THE STEAD AIRPORT, RENO, NEVADA. AERO WAYS, INC., WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED SUSANVILLE, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1145. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PILOT STATED HE DEPARTED STEAD EARLIER THAT MORNING TO DROP OFF A PASSENGER AT SUSANVILLE. THE AIRPLANE WAS DIFFICULT TO LAND, BUT HE COULD NOT DETECT A SPECIFIC PROBLEM. ON THE RETURN TO STEAD, THE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE LANDING ROLL AND THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED. THE GEARBOX SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ACCIDENT COORDINATOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND NOTED THE FRACTURE WAS IN THE VICINITY OF A WELD. (-23) THE AIRCRART WAS OPERATED ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT FROM 4SD TO SVE ON THE DAY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. DURING LANDING AT SVE THE PILOT NOTICED UNSTABLE ROLLOUT. THINKING PERHAPS IT WAS HIS TECHNIQUE, THE PILOT GAVE THE MATTE R NO FURTHER THOUGHT. DURING DEPARTURE FROM SVE THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A NOTICEABLE PULL TO THE RIGHT. UPON LANDING AT 4SD THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A SLIGHT HOP ON INITIAL TOUCH DOWN FOLLOWED BY AN UNSTABLE ROLLOUT. SUBSEQUENTLY, CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOST WHEN THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AXLE FAILED AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AXLE WAS SENT TO AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (BELLANCA) FOR EVALUATION. (.4) THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AXLE FRACTURED AND COLLAPSED DURING THE LANDING ROLL, WHICH RESULTED IN A GROUND LOOP AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE GEARBOX. THE AXLE FRACTURED IN THE VICINITY OF A WELD. AN ENTRY IN THE AIRPLANE'S LOGBOOK INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD SUSTAINED A HARD LANDING ABOUT 15 YEARS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT. THE ENTRY STATED THAT MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS INSPECTED THE AXLE USING THE DYE PENETRATE METHOD. NO LOGBOOK ENTRY NOTED THAT THE AXLE HAD BEEN CHANGED. THE MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE AXLE AND REPORTED THAT SEVERAL ITEMS DID NOT CONFORM TO THE TYPE DESIGN. THE MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE CONCLUDED THAT THE AXLE HAD BEEN CRACKED AND REWELDED, AND THE WELD DID NOT CONFORM TO SPECIFICATIONS. THE WE LD AT THE BASE PLATE HAD A LARGER RADIUS THAN SPECIFIED, WHICH RESULTED IN A FLAT SURFACE THAT WAS INSUFFICIENT TO ALLOW PROPER SEATING OF THE HEADS OF THE BOLTS THAT MOUNTED THE WHEEL TO THE AXLE. THE MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE FELT THE AXLE FAILED IN THE WELD HEAT AFFECTED ZONE DUE TO IMPROPER REPAIR. ## 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 LAX01LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA189), May 20, 2001: Bellanca 7GCBC (N86727), Reno, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of the left main landing gear axle due to an improper weld repair. ## Other reports on N86727 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19870511033289I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870511033289I), May 11, 1987: Bbavia 7GCBC (N86727), Reno, NV, Minor damage. Aircraft bounced on landing and veered off runway. Two CFI pilots failed to coordinate who was pilot in command. 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.