# NTSB ANC08CA117: Bellanca 8GCBC, N2981M, Fairbanks, AK, September 1, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 31, 2008, 18:00 local (Sep 1, 2008, 02:00 UTC) - Place: Fairbanks, AK - Coordinates: 64.806945, -147.762496 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.8069&lon=-147.7625&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 11, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 69176 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC08CA117 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/69176/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC08CA117 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was landing on Runway 06, a 4,600 foot-long, by 80 feet wide gravel and partially paved runway. In the student pilot's written statement to the NTSB, he reported that he elected to land on the gravel-covered part of the runway, which was on the left side of the runway. During touchdown, the airplane bounced, and he attempted to recover, but the airplane drifted to the left, and the left wing struck tall brush. The airplane pivoted to the left, and the right wing struck the ground, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing, right aileron, and fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. At the time of the accident the closest weather observation facility, about 2 miles west of the accident site, was reporting winds as 110 degrees at 6 knots. ## Factual narrative The student pilot was landing on Runway 06, a 4,600 foot-long, by 80 feet wide gravel and partially paved runway. In the student pilot's written statement to the NTSB, he reported that he elected to land on the gravel-covered part of the runway, which was on the left side of the runway. During touchdown, the airplane bounced, and he attempted to recover, but the airplane drifted to the left, and the left wing struck tall brush. The airplane pivoted to the left, and the right wing struck the ground, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing, right aileron, and fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. At the time of the accident the closest weather observation facility, about 2 miles west of the accident site, was reporting winds as 110 degrees at 6 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2981M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2981M), registered now, S/N 360-80, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 8GCBC - Registry model: [Bellanca 8GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-8gcbc) (registry code 1220803) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 360-80 - Airframe hours: 1684.7 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Dave Whitmer - Registered owner: David Whitmer & Jeff Wall - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 5, 2008, 25 hours before - Departed: MTF, Fairbanks, AK - Destination: MTF, Fairbanks, AK - Airport: MTF, Metro Field Airport, runway 06, 4,600 × 80 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 42; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; flight hours: 25 total, 25 in this make and model, 8 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.72 inHg - Observed at: FAI, 2 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20080831850729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080831850729A), Aug 31, 2008: Bbavia 8GCBC, Fairbanks, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Solo student pilot failed to maintain ground track and runway alignment on landing. Aircraft drifted left of the intended runway sustaining substantial… 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. --- 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.