- Date
- May 2, 1989, 14:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9121LBellanca 7ECA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 22, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890502010649A
- Case key
- 17703
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
Inadequate compensation for the wind conditions by the pilot, resulting in a loss of control during landing roll. Variable and gusting winds are considered a contributing factor.
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 pvt plt was completing a x-country flt when the accident occurred. He said that he had to switch runways because of gusting and variable winds. He selected rwy 21, a 3,100 x 40 ft asphalt rwy. The touchdown seemed normal but the plt said he had to use full right rudder then full left rudder to maintain directional control. The plt said that a sudden gust from the left and rear of the acft blew dust and weeds across the rwy and lifted the tail of the acft. The acft came to rest inverted and to the right of the rwy.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9121L
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7ECA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 802-71
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Rainbow Aero Inc.
- Departed
- SAF · Sante Fe, NM
- Destination
- 4AC
- Airport
- 4AC · Colorado, runway 21, 3,500 × 40 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
- 62
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 341 total · 285 in this make and model · 42 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.