# Accident 20021102030709A: Blanca 1730A, Pell City, AL, November 2, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 2, 2002, 16:40 local time - Place: Pell City, AL - Airport: St Clair County Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.5647° N, 86.2489° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5647&lon=-86.2489&mi=10 - Aircraft: N9558E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9558E) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bellanca 17-30A (registry code 1220433, https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BLANCA 1730A - Reported engine: CONT IO520* - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,000 total, 275 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA03LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA010) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021102030709A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON NOVEMBER 2, 2002, AT 1640 CST, A BLLANCA BL-17-30A, N9558E REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT ST. CLAIR COUNTY AIRPORT, PELL CITY, ALABAMA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT RECEIVED NO INJURY, AND THE AIRPLANE INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN PELL CITY. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VEER TO THE LEFT, AND HE CORRECTED WITH RUDDER INPUT TRYING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT INTO THE GRASS, AND CONTINUED ON, THROUGH A DITCH, WHICH SHEARED OFF THE NOSE AND MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE NOSE AND MAIN LANDING GEAR BUCKLED UNDER CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING SPAR AND NOSE WHEEL SUPPORT STRUCTURE. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 2, 2002, ABOUT 1640 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BELLANCA BL-17-30A VIKING, N9558E, REGISTERED TO BURRUS AND ASSOCIATES, INC., OPERATING AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, SUSTAINED A RUNWAY EXCURSION DURING LANDING AT ST. CLOUD COUNTY AIRPORT, PELL CITY, ALABAMA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE RE CEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE SAME AIRPORT ABOUT ONE HOUR BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO AN FAA INSPECTOR, THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 02, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND RAN OFF THE LEFT EDGE AT ABOUT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE. THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A DITCH WHERE THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE TERRAIN. THE LEFT WING SPAR RECEIVED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. REPORTED SURFACE WINDS AT 1653 WERE FROM 360 AT 5 KNOTS. (.4) ON NOVEMBER 2, 2002, ABOUT 1530 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BELLANCA BL-17-30A VIKING, N9558E, REGISTERED TO BURRUS AND ASSOCIATES, INC., OPERATING AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, SUSTAINED A RUNWAY EXCURSION DURING LANDING AT ST. CLOUD COUNTY AIRPORT, PELL CITY, ALABAMA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE SAME AIRPORT ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE MADE A NORMAL APPROACH AT ST. CLOUD COUNTY AIRPORT. HE STATED HE, "FLARED PLANE OUT A LITTLE HIGH. PULLED BACK ON YOKE AND IT SETTLED DOWN. THE MINUTE THE PLANE HIT THE GROUND, IT SHOT OFF TO THE LEFT. PUSHED IN RIGHT RUDDER TO GET CONTROL. AT THAT TIME I WAS IN THE GRASS AND THE RUDDER HAD NO CONTROL. I RAN ACROSS A DITCH. THIS IS WHEN LANDING GEAR AND PROP WERE DAMAGED." ACCORDING TO AN FAA INSPECTOR, THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 02, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT, INTO THE GRASS, AND CONTINUED ON, THROUGH A DITCH, WHICH SHEARED OFF THE NOSE AND MAIN LANDING GEAR. HIS EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS OR SYSTEMS, AND THAT THE PILOT FAILED TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE ON THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. REPORTED SURFACE WINDS AT 1553 FOR THE BIRMINGHAM AREA WERE FROM 350 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS. ## 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 MIA03LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA010), Nov 2, 2002: Bellanca 17-30A (N9558E), Pell City, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control following landing touchdown, resulting in a runway excursion and collision with a ditch off the left side of the runway. ## Other reports on N9558E (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19970524022989I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970524022989I), May 24, 1997: Blanca 1730A (N9558E), Leesburg, FL, Minor damage. Nose gear was up landing with three greens. Power pac shorted due nose wheel rubbed on wheel well retracting. - [Incident 19951224044549I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951224044549I), Dec 24, 1995: Blanca 1730A (N9558E), Lafayette, GA, Minor damage. Narrative: during takeoff roll pilot experienced severe vibration from the nose wheel. Pilot aborted take off and the nose gear collapsed before aircraft could… 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.