- Date
- September 5, 1994, 13:55 local (19:55 UTC)
- Place
- Elbert, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8843Bellanca 7GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940905025509A
- Case key
- 19157
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's inadequate compensation for the winds. A factor was the unfavorable variable winds.
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 made a downwind pattern entry for a landing to the north. The winds were variable from the south-southeast at 10 knots. During the final descent rate of 500 fpm, the pilot added back pressure on the control stick to arrest the descent rate. During the hard landing, the right main gear separated due to overload and the right wing hit the ground. Subsequently the airplane ground looped, slid about 125 feet down the runway and came to rest 25 feet beyond the edge of the runway.
Factual narrative
On September 5, 1995, at 1355 mountain daylight time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, N8843, was substantially damaged during landing near Elbert, Colorado. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial tow flight.
The following paragraph is based on the enclosed pilot/operator report. The flight was returning to the airstrip from the 14th tow flight for the day. Winds were from the south-southeast at 10 knots. A downwind pattern entry was made for landing to the north. During the base entry the pilot added power to 1,500 RPM to slow the rate of descent. With a final approach descent rate of 500 feet per minute, the pilot added back pressure on the control stick to arrest the descent rate. During the landing, the right main gear separated and the right wing struck the runway. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped, slid about 150 feet down the runway, and came to rest 25 feet beyond the edge of the runway.
Damage reported to the gear was stated by the operator as impact overload. The operator also reported spar damage on the right wing, horizontal stabilizer, and right elevator.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8843
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 474-73
- Airframe hours
- 2,669
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A-4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Soar Black Forest
- Registered owner
- Tow Black Forest, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 11, 1993 · 177 hours before
- Airport
- CO15 · Kelly, runway 35, 3,800 × 40 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 695 total · 636 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.