# NTSB CEN24LA136: Bellanca 8GCBC, N4159Y, Grind Stone City, MI, March 13, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 13, 2024, 17:50 local (21:50 UTC)
- Place: Grind Stone City, MI
- Coordinates: 44.046778, -82.914417
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.0468&lon=-82.9144&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193936
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA136
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193936/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193936
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA136

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll on a wet turf runway with a quartering tailwind.

## Findings

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

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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)
- [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md)
- [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: wet surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023010/cases.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 141 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023010/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing-landing roll: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Bellanca 8GCBC, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=1220803), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was conducting a flight in a tailwheel equipped airplane. During the landing, the airplane bounced, and then settled back to the runway. The tail of the airplane rose, the nose of the airplane dropped, and the propeller struck the ground. The airplane came to rest inverted resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, both wings, and wing struts. The pilot noted that the airstrip was more wet than he anticipated. The pilot reported that the airplane had no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. Wind conditions at the time of the accident were from 120° at 9 knots, the pilot landed on runway 36.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4159Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4159Y), registered now, S/N 23877, built 1977 (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: 23877
- Year built: 1977
- Airframe hours: 2105.27
- Engines: Lycoming O-360 C2E 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Bauer Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 7, 2023
- Departed: 60D, Reese, MI
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: 29C, Grindstone Air Harbor, runway 36, 1,800 × 85 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: Stall warning system, Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 14, 2024; seat: front; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 104.7 total, 5.4 in this make and model, 39.7 as pilot in command, 24.4 in the last 90 days, 8.4 in the last 30 days, 1.6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 120° at 9 knots
- Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observed at: KP58, 5 nm away
- METAR: KP58 132155Z AUTO 12009KT 07/02 A2991 RMK AO1 SLP131 T00720022,M

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193936. 3.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16875125&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 891 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16874719&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%202-Rel.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.