# NTSB ERA20LA342: Bellanca 7GCB, N8950R, DeFuniak Springs, FL, September 30, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 30, 2020, 10:40 local (15:40 UTC) - Place: DeFuniak Springs, FL - Coordinates: 30.732518, -86.15249 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.7325&lon=-86.1525&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - 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: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 102088 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20LA342 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102088/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102088 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA342 ## Probable cause The failure of the left landing gear airframe cross tube during landing, due to corrosion hidden under riveted fairing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: main landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 241 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/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: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was performing a touch-and-go landing. After an uneventful touchdown and rollout, and just prior to his application of power to takeoff, the airplane swerved “pretty severely to the right” despite his counter controls. The airplane then veered off the right side of the runway, into the grass and the left main landing gear collapsed under the fuselage, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector found that the left main landing gear airframe cross tube had fractured, and a significant amount of corrosion and rust was visible. However, this corrosion was not visible until a section of riveted fairing was removed. Given this information, it is likely that the corroded left main landing gear cross tube failed during the landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the takeoff attempt, and a subsequent runway excursion. ## Aircraft - Registration: N8950R (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 7GCB (NO SERIES) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7GCB-36 - Year built: 1960 - Airframe hours: 3330.6 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 7, 2019 - Departed: 18FD, Baker, FL - Destination: 18FD, Baker, FL - Airport: 54J, DeFuniak Springs Airport, runway 27, 4,146 × 60 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Handheld GPS, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 69; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed; last flight review February 9, 2019; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,276 total, 28 in this make and model, 3,161 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: 54J ## 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 20200930019769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200930019769A), Sep 30, 2020: Champion 7GCB, Defuniak Spring, FL, Substantial damage. Pilot stated on landing rollout the left main wheel assembly folded aft causing the right main to pull the aircraft off the runway. ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 9, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102088. 6.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 4.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11577122&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120.1%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� FAA inspector (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11577936&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20for%20Record%20(FAA%20Inspector)-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 5 photos, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11577779&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.