# NTSB DEN01LA086: Bellanca 1731A, N93737, Hobbs, NM, April 13, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 13, 2001, 12:40 local (18:40 UTC) - Place: Hobbs, NM - Location: 32.6873° N, 103.2175° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LEA COUNTY RGNL (HOB), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6873&lon=-103.2175&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report October 23, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 52086 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN01LA086 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52086/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA086 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during flare/landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, go-around (vfr) - terrain condition - runway (contributing factor) - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - terrain condition - grass (contributing factor) ## Analysis At the moment of flare/touchdown on runway 21, the airplane settled onto its left main landing gear. The right wing rose up and the airplane departed the left side of the runway just past taxiway "B." The pilot attempted a go-around and the airplane became airborne momentarily. He said, "the more I added right rudder the more it went left." The airplane turned to the left, settled down and skidded across runway 30. The pilot stated that during the attempted go-around, the airplane was unresponsive and would not "climb or accelerate." An FAA inspector, who examined the wreckage and interviewed the pilot, stated that when the pilot seated himself in the airplane to show the inspector what had happened, the inspector noticed that, "the pilot seated himself in the left seat and was sitting at a left angle and as he placed his feet up to the rudder pedals, his right foot was placed on the co-pilot's left rudder pedal." ## Factual narrative On April 13, 2001, at approximately 1240 mountain daylight time, a Bellanca 17-31A, N93737, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while landing at Lea County Regional Airport, Hobbs, New Mexico. The private pilot and sole occupant on board received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for this personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Lubbock, Texas, at approximately 1145. According to the pilot, at the moment of flare/touchdown on runway 21, the airplane settled onto its left main landing gear. The right wing rose up and the airplane departed the left side of the runway just past taxiway "B." He attempted a go-around and the airplane became airborne momentarily. The pilot stated that during the attempted go-around, the airplane was unresponsive and would not "climb or accelerate." He said, "the more I added right rudder the more it went left." The airplane turned to the left, crossed runway 26 and settled down on runway 30, skidding across the runway. The airplane came to rest, facing the direction from which it came, in the grass to the south of runway 30, adjacent to taxiway "B1." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the airframe, both main landing gears, and empennage. At the time of the accident, winds were from 160 degrees at 4 knots, and the temperature was 24 degrees Celsius. Altimeter setting was 30.12" Hg. The airfield elevation is 3,661feet msl and density altitude was computed to be approximately 5,405 feet msl. An FAA inspector who examined the wreckage and interviewed the pilot stated that, when the pilot seated himself in the airplane to show the inspector what had happened, the inspector noticed that, "the pilot seated himself in the left seat and was sitting at a left angle and as he placed his feet up to the rudder pedals, his right foot was placed on the co-pilot's left rudder pedal." On September 17, 2000, the pilot was in another accident, (DEN00LA174), involving a Bellanca 17-30A, N14774. According to the FAA inspector who went to that accident site, the airplane veered to the left during takeoff and struck a mesquite bush. It then traveled 336 feet through the air, struck the ground, spun around 720 degrees, and skidded to a halt 1,947 feet from the start of the takeoff roll. The inspector said it appeared that, "the pilot failed to apply sufficient right rudder at liftoff to maintain directional control," allowing the airplane to "drift left sufficient[ly] for the left wing to strike the mesquite bush branch." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N93737](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N93737-2016-02-17), registration cancelled 2016-02-17, S/N 73-32-129, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bellanca 1731A - Registry model: [Bellanca 17-31A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-31a) (registry code 1220435) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 73-32-129 - Airframe hours: 2510 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Steve Uslan - Registered owner: Jesse Taylor - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 3, 2001, 10 hours before - Departed: LBB, Lobbock, TX - Destination: HOB, Hobbs, NM - Airport: HOB, Lea County Regional, runway 210, 7,398 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: minor; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review March 3, 2000; seat: front; flight hours: 8,398 total, 500 in this make and model, 8,250 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 4 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: KHOB ## 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 20010413008169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010413008169A), Apr 13, 2001: Blanca 1731A, Hobbs, NM, No damage. (-23)On April 13, 2001, at approximately 1240 mountain datlight time, a Bellanca 1731A, N93737, was substantially damaged, when it collided with terrain while… 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.