- Date
- July 1, 2005, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Shorter, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1029EBellanca 7KCAB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FSDO 09 Birmingham
- FAA report
- 20050701012929A
- Case key
- 61866
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 directional control, which resulted in the collapse of the left main landing gear.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he was attempting a normal landing on a private 2200-foot long grass landing airstrip. Upon landing, the airplane veered to the right, traveling off the grass strip and hit a depression in the ground with the left main landing gear. The airplane came to rest on the grass to the right of grass strip. Examination of the airplane disclosed that the left landing gear had collapsed. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On July 1, 2005 at 1030 central daylight time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, N1029E, registered to and operated by a private owner, left main landing gear collapsed during a landing on a private grass strip in Shorter, Alabama. The personal flight was operated under provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Wetumpka Municipal Airport, Wetumpka, Alabama, on July 1, 2005 at 1010.
According to the pilot, he was attempting a normal landing on a private 2200-foot long grass landing airstrip. Upon landing, the airplane veered to the right and traveled off the grass strip and hit a depression in the ground with the left main landing gear. The left main landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest on the grass to the right of grass strip.
The post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that all flight control surfaces were attached, left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing was bent three feet inboard. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1029E
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7KCAB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 607-77
- Airframe hours
- 2,027
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-360, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James L Reynolds
- Registered owner
- James L Reynolds
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2004 · 17.6 hours before
- Departed
- 08A · Wetumpka, AL
- Destination
- Shorter, AL
- Airport
- N/A · Pvt, runway 36, 2,200 × 60 ft, grass/turf
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2003
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,452 total · 135 in this make and model · 1,203 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- KMXF, 25 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.