OpenAirDocs.org

20040731020819I

Incident · Minor damage
Open the Markdown

FAA incident report · Blanca 14-19-3 · Rochester, MN · July 31, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
July 31, 2004 · 15:50 local
Place
Rochester, MN
Airport
Rochester Municipal
Phase of flight
Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N8831R
Reported as
Blanca 14193
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,000 total9 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days
N8831RRegistration cancelled Jun 28, 2011 · Bellanca 14-19-3S/N 4183 · Built 1959Airframe modelBellanca 14-19-3Engine modelContinental I0-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The pilot had recently purchased his Bellanca and was flying it home to Minnesota. During a routine fuel stop at Rochester, Minnesota, the pilot experienced surface winds that exceeded his limitations. The pilot executed an approach and then a go-around, due to his discomfort with the landing flare. He then attempted a second approach and landing, but this time he did not properly arrest his descent, hence the pilot experienced a hard touchdown which damaged the landing gear. He executed another go-around and then attempted a third landing. It was on this third landing that the nose gear collapsed upon touchdown. The pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft and he was not injured. The pilot began flying again in may of 2004. Prior to may, he last flew in the 1970S. Even though he has about 2,000 hours total flight time, nearly all of that time is in the distant past. The pilot lacks proficiency and skills and was very unfamiliar with the characteristics of his recently purchased Bellanca.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED HIS BELLANCA AND WAS FLYING IT HOME TO MINNESOTA. DURING A ROUTINE FUEL STOP AT ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SURFACE WINDS THAT EXCEEDED HIS LIMITATIONS. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN APPROACH AND THEN A GO-AROUND, DUE TO HIS DISCOMFORT WITH THE LANDING FLARE. HE THEN ATTEMPTED A SECOND APPROACH AND LANDING, BUT THIS TIME HE DID NOT PROPERLY ARREST HIS DESCENT, HENCE THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A HARD TOUCHDOWN WHICH DAMAGED THE LANDING GEAR. HE EXECUTED ANOTHER GO-AROUND AND THEN ATTEMPTED A THIRD LANDING. IT WAS ON THIS THIRD LANDING THAT THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED UPON TOUCHDOWN. THE PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND HE WAS NOT INJURED. THE PILOT BEGAN FLYING AGAIN IN MAY OF 2004. PRIOR TO MAY, HE LAST FLEW IN THE 1970S. EVEN THOUGH HE HAS ABOUT 2,000 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME, NEARLY ALL OF THAT TIME IS IN THE DISTANT PAST. THE PILOT LACKS PROFICIENCY AND SKILLS AND WAS VERY UNFAMILIAR WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HIS RECENTLY PURCHASED BELLANCA.