# NTSB CEN20CA026: Bellanca 1730, N28037, Clear Lake, MN, November 23, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 23, 2019, 17:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: Clear Lake, MN - Coordinates: 45.440277, -93.970558 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.4403&lon=-93.9706&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 16, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 100647 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA026 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100647/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100647 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA026 ## Probable cause The pilot's focus inside the cockpit during the base turn and final approach, which led to a high sink rate developing and a subsequent hard landing short of the runway. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: attention](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 226 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was conducting a night visual flight to an airport with dim runway lighting. The pilot stated that, during the base turn and final approach, his attention was focused inside the cockpit as he rechecked the landing gear, mixture lever, and propeller lever positions. He noticed a sink rate had developed as the landing lights illuminated a row of 50- to 75-ft-tall trees on final approach. The pilot pulled back aggressively on the yoke to clear the trees. The airplane continued to descend and impacted the ground hard short of the runway. The fuselage and firewall sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that his attention should have been focused more outside the cockpit during the base turn and final approach and that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The private pilot was conducting a night visual flight to an airport with dim runway lighting. During the base turn and final approach, the pilot stated his attention was focused inside the cockpit as he rechecked the landing gear, mixture lever, and propeller lever positions. He noticed a sink rate had developed as the airplane's landing lights illuminated a row of 50-75 ft trees on the final approach. The pilot pulled back aggressively on the yoke to clear the trees. The airplane continued to sink and impacted the ground with a high descent rate short of the runway, which damaged the fuselage and firewall. Following the accident, the pilot reflected that his attention should have been focused more outside the cockpit during the base turn and final approach. The pilot stated on the accident report form that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N28037](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N28037-2022-07-02), registration cancelled 2022-07-02, S/N 79-30949, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bellanca 1730 (A) - Registry model: [Bellanca 17-30A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30a) (registry code 1220433) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 79-30949 - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 1935 - Engines: Continental IO-540 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 1, 2019, 31 hours before - Departed: MGG, Maple Lake, MN - Destination: 8Y6, Clear Lake, MN - Airport: 8Y6, Leaders Clear Lake, runway 36, 3,000 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 13, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 248 total, 248 in this make and model, 248 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 240° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 29.67 inHg - Observed at: KSTC, 7 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 20191123021619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191123021619A), Nov 23, 2019: Bellanca 17-30A, Clear Lake, MN, Substantial damage. On the turn to final the pilot became distracted with the prop and fuel controls, failed to maintain altitude and had to take extreme measures to avoid trees… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 26, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100647. 3.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 406 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480783&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - FAA Provided Information and Photos (item 2, .PDF, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480784&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Provided%20Information%20and%20Photos-Master.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. --- 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.