- Date
- September 20, 2003, 12:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Byers, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N41698Bellanca 7ECA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20030920024319A
- Case key
- 57973
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 not maintaining adequate clearance from the ground and his improper in-flight planning/decision. Factors contributing to the accident were the tailwind, the low altitude, the tree, the people, the embankment, and the ravine.
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
The pilot reported he was attempting to land to the west on the airstrip when he encountered a tailwind. The pilot reported he initiated a go-around, but had to turn south to avoid a large tree at the end of the airstrip, and a group of people on the north side of the airstrip. The airplane's right main landing gear contacted the ground. The airplane slid down an embankment and nosed-over causing substantial damage to the airplane's right wing, left and right wing struts, and the right main landing gear. An examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies. Approximately 23 minutes after the accident, the wind conditions at the Denver International Airport, 22 nautical miles west of the accident site, were 100 degrees magnetic at 11 knots.
Factual narrative
On September 20, 2003, approximately 1230 mountain daylight time, a Bellanca 7ECA, N41698, piloted by an airline transport pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted into a ravine during a go-around at a private airstrip, 12 miles north of Byers, Colorado. The pilot and passenger on board the airplane reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight originated at Watkins, Colorado, at 1200.
The pilot reported he was attempting to land to the west on the airstrip when he encountered a tailwind. The pilot reported he initiated a go-around, but had to turn south to avoid a large tree at the end of the airstrip, and a group of people on the north side of the airstrip. The airplane's right main landing gear contacted the ground. The airplane slid down an embankment and nosed-over.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane at the scene. The inspector reported that the airplane's right wing was broken aft and down at the wing/fuselage attach points. Both wing struts were broken. The right main landing gear leg was bent aft. The propeller showed torsional bending and chordwise scratches. Flight control continuity was confirmed. An examination of the engine, engine controls, and other airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
At 1253, Denver International Airport, 22 nautical miles west of the accident site, reported winds as 100 degrees magnetic at 11 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N41698
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7ECA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 980-73
- Airframe hours
- 3,429.69
- Engine
- Mazda O-235-C1, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Frank C. Hoffman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 24, 2003 · 5.42 hours before
- Departed
- FTG · Watkins, CO
- Destination
- Byers, CO
- Airport
- James Johnson, runway 090, 1,800 × 50 ft, dirt
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
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- January 19, 2003
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 32,000 total · 252 in this make and model · 34 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- DEN, 22 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.
Other investigations on N41698 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.