20200509004639A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bellanca 8GCBC · Byron, CA · May 9, 2020

Date: May 9, 2020 · 13:27 local
Place: Byron, CA
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N4116Y
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR20LA141
Reported as: Bellanca 8GCBC
Reported engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N4116YRegistration cancelled Mar 6, 2021 · Bellanca 8GCBCS/N 232-76 · Built 1976 Airframe modelBellanca 8GCBC Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 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.

Video shows aircraft N4116Y taking off in tow with glider aircraft N65972. Shortly after take off it appears the glider nose up higher than tow aircraft. Glider then appears to pitch down briefly and then pitches to an even higher level than the tow aircraft. At this point it appears the tow aircraft cuts the tow line and pitches down at an extreme angle causing aircraft to crash into the runway where it becomes inverted. The aircraft then slides to a stop where shortly becomes engulfed in flames. One fatality to pilot of aircraft N4116Y. Glider aircraft N65972 landed safely on runway with one pilot on board.

As the FAA filed it

VIDEO SHOWS AIRCRAFT N4116Y TAKING OFF IN TOW WITH GLIDER AIRCRAFT N65972. SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF IT APPEARS THE GLIDER NOSE UP HIGHER THAN TOW AIRCRAFT. GLIDER THEN APPEARS TO PITCH DOWN BRIEFLY AND THEN PITCHES TO AN EVEN HIGHER LEVEL THAN THE TOW AIRCRAFT. AT THIS POINT IT APPEARS THE TOW AIRCRAFT CUTS THE TOW LINE AND PITCHES DOWN AT AN EXTREME ANGLE CAUSING AIRCRAFT TO CRASH INTO THE RUNWAY WHERE IT BECOMES INVERTED. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SLIDES TO A STOP WHERE SHORTLY BECOMES ENGULFED IN FLAMES. ONE FATALITY TO PILOT OF AIRCRAFT N4116Y. GLIDER AIRCRAFT N65972 LANDED SAFELY ON RUNWAY WITH ONE PILOT ON BOARD.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR20LA141Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportByron, CAThe tow airplane pilot’s loss of control resulting from the glider pilot’s failure to maintain a proper altitude behind the tow airplane, which caused the tail of the tow airplane to be lifted upward and the tow airplane to pitch nose down while at a low…May 9, 2020 · Destroyed

Other reports on N4116Y · 1

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

Accident 19900331007412AIdling Engines · Byron, CAParked side of runway 22 engine running waiting to tow glider. Prop and cowl struck by landing sailplane.Mar 31, 1990 · Minor damage