# NTSB ANC14CA010: Bellanca 7GCBC, N88342, Soldotna, AK, December 4, 2013

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: December 4, 2013, 12:25 local (16:25 UTC)
- Place: Soldotna, AK
- Coordinates: 60.537223, -150.868057 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.5372&lon=-150.8681&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Structural icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/210)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Completed, report April 1, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA Anchorage FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 88518
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC14CA010
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88518/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88518
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC14CA010

## Probable cause

The operation of the airplane by the uncertificated student pilot, his failure to recognize conditions conducive to structural icing, and subsequent decision to depart in conditions conducive to structural icing, resulting in a severe icing encounter and forced landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Experience/qualifications: qualification/certification](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 280 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to structural icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031025/cases.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031025/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: tower/antenna (incl guy wires)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022017): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022017/cases.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 55 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022017/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Structural icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/210) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/210/sequence.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/210/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The uncertificated student pilot stated that he had been watching the weather for three days waiting for suitable flying conditions. He checked the automated weather at a nearby airport, and decided that conditions were suitable for flying. He and a passenger then took off on a cross-country flight. During the climb to cruise altitude, the uncertificated student pilot began to notice specks of ice on the windscreen. A short time later, ice suddenly began to accumulate rapidly on the airplane, obscuring the windscreen. He could see an airstrip ahead and to the left of the airplane, and started a rapid descent to set up for a landing. As he approached the airstrip, he said that he was still too fast and too high to attempt a landing, so he initiated a go-around. During the second landing attempt, he said that the airplane felt very heavy and sluggish, and as he began to slowly decrease the throttle on the landing approach, the airplane began to lose altitude very fast. He attempted a second go-around, but the engine backfired and lost power. He landed the airplane just past the end of the airstrip on a dirt road, but the right wing struck a power line guy wire, and the airplane spun to the right, striking a road sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and empennage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The uncertificated student pilot stated that he had been watching the weather for three days waiting for suitable flying conditions. He checked the automated weather at a nearby airport, and decided that conditions were suitable for flying. He and a passenger then took off on a cross-country flight. During the climb to cruise altitude, the uncertificated student pilot began to notice specks of ice on the windscreen. A short time later, ice suddenly began to accumulate rapidly on the airplane, obscuring the windscreen. He could see an airstrip ahead and to the left of the airplane, and started a rapid descent to set up for a landing. As he approached the airstrip, he said that he was still too fast and too high to attempt a landing, so he initiated a go-around. During the second landing attempt, he said that the airplane felt very heavy and sluggish, and as he began to slowly decrease the throttle on the landing approach, the airplane began to lose altitude very fast. He attempted a second go-around, but the engine backfired and lost power. He landed the airplane just past the end of the airstrip on a dirt road, but the right wing struck a power line guy wire, and the airplane spun to the right, striking a road sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and empennage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N88342](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N88342-2015-05-06), registration cancelled 2015-05-06, S/N 768-74, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELLANCA 7GCBC (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Bellanca 7GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7gcbc) (registry code 1220601) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 768-74
- Year built: 1974
- Airframe hours: 1848
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 23, 2013, 8 hours before
- Departed: Sterling, AK
- Destination: PGM, Port Graham, AK
- Airport: 88AK, Dutch Landing Strip, runway 25, 1,300 × 100 ft, snow
- Equipment: Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 49; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, unknown; last flight review August 7, 2012; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 280 total, 265 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 21 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter: 30.47 inHg
- Icing: Unknown
- Observed at: PASX, 6 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 20131204024599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131204024599A), Dec 4, 2013: Bellanca 7GCBC, Soldotna, AK, Substantial damage. [privacy data omitted] (Student pilot) was piloting N88342 a Bellanca 7GCBC aircraft with one passenger onboard. They departed an airstrip near [privacy data…

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 12, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88518. 804 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 804 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410307&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF

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.

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