- Date
- July 6, 2009, 17:00 local (Jul 7, 2009, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sutton, AK
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N29785Bellanca 8GCBC
- Defining event
- Enroute: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20090706047519A
- Case key
- 74220
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane after an in-flight encounter with a downdraft in mountainous terrain, and his decision to fly at an altitude where such an encounter made a successful recovery unlikely.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot made a personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91 in mountainous terrain. He said that as the airplane passed near an area of steep terrain, he encountered a strong downdraft, and the airplane began to descend. He added full engine power to stop the descent, but the airplane continued to descend, and it impacted an area of down sloping tundra-covered terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage. He characterized wind on the ground as light and variable, but reported encountering stronger winds just before the accident. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted in his report to the NTSB that the accident might have been avoided if he had been flying at a higher altitude, which would have provided more altitude for a recovery.
Factual narrative
The private pilot made a personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91 in mountainous terrain. He said that as the airplane passed near an area of steep terrain, he encountered a strong downdraft, and the airplane began to descend. He added full engine power to stop the descent, but the airplane continued to descend, and it impacted an area of down sloping tundra-covered terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage. He characterized wind on the ground as light and variable, but reported encountering stronger winds just before the accident. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted in his report to the NTSB that the accident might have been avoided if he had been flying at a higher altitude, which would have provided more altitude for a recovery.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N29785
- Reported as
- Bellanca 8GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 355-80
- Airframe hours
- 1,384
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C1E, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Barickman Will D
- Registered owner
- Barickman Will D
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 17, 2009 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- PAAQ · Palmer, AK
- Destination
- PAAQ · Palmer, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- PAAQ · Palmer Municipal Airport
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 20, 2008
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 361 total · 238 in this make and model · 327 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 9, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 611 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.