CHI04LA049

NTSB accident investigation · Bellanca 17-30A · Wellington, KS · December 29, 2003

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
December 29, 2003, 11:40 local (17:40 UTC)
Place
Wellington, KS
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N14763Bellanca 17-30A
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 29, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20031229033329A
Case key
58555

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot not maintaining directional control during the landing roll. Factors were the dry grass and the concrete box he encountered during his excursion off the runway.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Weather condition - crosswind
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Terrain condition - grassFactor
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - otherFactor

Analysis

The airplane was destroyed during landing roll when it impacted a concrete electrical box following an excursion off of runway 17. The pilot stated, "I (as pilot) made an input of right aileron down which [exacerbated the] skid, including [the] right wing tip scraping the runway. Aircraft departed runway. Aircraft returned to three wheels down within 40 feet of runway edge. Aircraft was uncontrollable on dry, dead grass." The concrete electrical box was located approximately 75 feet left of the runway. The Airport/Facility Directory contained published remarks that warned personnel and equipment would be working adjacent to that runway.

Factual narrative

On December 29, 2003, about 1140 central standard time, a Bellanca 17-30A, N14763, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during landing roll when it impacted a concrete electrical box following an excursion off of runway 17 (3,538 feet by 50 feet, asphalt) at the Wellington Municipal Airport (EGT), near Wellington, Kansas. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. A Visual Flight Rules flight plan was filed and was not activated. The pilot sustained minor injury. The flight originated from Shawnee Regional Airport, near Shawnee, Oklahoma, about 1040 and was landing at EGT at the time of the accident.

The pilot stated:

Preflight, engine start, taxi and take off proceeded all normal.

Immediately follow[ing] TO, flight following was instituted

via OKC [A]pproach. Flight went without incident with

flight following via OKC Approach, Kansas City Center[,]

and Wichita Approach. Decent was uneventful. Decent and

preparation for landing were without significant factors. I was in

a slight left crab due to winds indicated as [300] at 6-8 knts. Upon

flair aircraft was aligned with runway and at touch down speed.

Aircraft landed. [S]oon after touch down of nose wheel (within

100' or so) aircraft took a hard left turn into a two wheel skid. Skid

marks indicate that [n]ose wheel was within four feet of center line

at beginning of skid. I (as pilot) made an input of right aileron

down which [exacerbated the] skid, including [the] right wing tip

scraping the runway. Aircraft departed runway. Aircraft returned

to three wheels down within 40 feet of runway edge. Aircraft was

uncontrollable on dry, dead grass. Aircraft impacted a 4'X4' concrete

box, placed [approximately] 75 feet left of runway. Box is part of in

ground lighting system for new runway being built west of present

runway. Box was in front of soft dirt mound of excavated dirt

[approximately] 8' high. Aircraft impacted box just right of corner at

[approximately] a 45 degree angle to side of box. Prop departed

aircraft. Engine was broken from all four engine mounting points

and moved right 8". Aircraft moved to the right [approximately] 2'-3'.

Box impacted left wing 12" left of fuselage attach point. Aircraft was

destroyed.

At 1154, the Strother Field Airport, near Winfield/Arkansas City, Kansas, recorded weather was: Wind 280 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 6 degrees C; dew point -6 degrees C; altimeter 30.12 inches of mercury.

At 1156, the Wichita Mid-Continent Airport, near Wichita, Kansas, recorded weather was: Wind 290 degrees at 10 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 5 degrees C; dew point -6 degrees C; altimeter 30.10 inches of mercury.

The North Central United States Airport/Facility Directory contained published remarks that warned personnel and equipment would be working adjacent to that runway.

Aircraft

Registration
N14763
Reported as
Bellanca 17-30A
Category
Airplane
Serial number
74-30705
Airframe hours
2,706.5
Engine
Continental IO-520-K, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Joel R. Clay
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 18, 2003 · 24 hours before
Departed
SNL · Shawnee, OK
Destination
EGT · Wellington, KS
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
EGT · Wellington Muni, runway 17, 3,538 × 50 ft, asphalt

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 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
275 total · 25 in this make and model · 249 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
280° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
43 °F, dew point 21 °F
Altimeter
30.12 inHg
Observed at
WLD, 19 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.