# Incident 20040728021369I: Blanca 1730A, Sylacauga, AL, July 28, 2004

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 28, 2004, 17:30 local time
- Place: Sylacauga, AL
- Airport: Merkel Field Sylacauga Municipal
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.1718° N, 86.3055° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at MERKEL FLD SYLACAUGA MUNI (SCD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1718&lon=-86.3055&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7373V, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7373V) (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 IO520K
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,300 total, 900 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040728021369I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON JULY 28, 2004, ABOUT 1230 CST, A BELLANCA 17-30A, N7373V, LANDED WITH THE GEAR UP. INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED WHICH CAUSED THE GEAR NOT TO EXTEND. THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT RECEIVED NO INJURY AND THE AIRPLANE INCURRED MINOR BELLY DAMAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE PERFORMING SLOW FLIGHT MANEUVERS HE DISABLED THE AUTO-AXION (AUTOMATIC LANDING GEAR CONTROL) AND FORGOT TO ENABLE THE AUTO-AXION AFTER THE MANUEVERS. THE ABOVE ACTION MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LANDING GEAR NOT EXTENDING WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SPEED DROPPED BELOW 100 KNOTS. THE ON SITE INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR WORKED INTERMEDIATELY. THE EMERGENCY LANDING GEAR LEVER WAS ACTIVATED AND THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED PROPERLY AND LOCKED. THE AIRCRAFT'S WINGS, THE MAIN LANDING GEARS' CLAM SHELL DOORS AND THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE DAMAGED.

## Other reports on N7373V (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19910509023109I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910509023109I), May 9, 1991: Blanca 1730A (N7373V), Avon Park, FL, Minor damage. Unable to extend nose gear. Tower advised it was cocked. Landed and nose gear collapsed on rollout.

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.

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