# NTSB FTW94LA322: Bellanca 7KCAB, N53844, Frederick, CO, September 28, 1994

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 28, 1994, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place: Frederick, CO
- Coordinates: 40.100593, -104.939079 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1006&lon=-104.9391&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 7, 1996
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 19179
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW94LA322
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19179/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW94LA322

## Probable cause

A FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AXLE.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Main gear collapsed, landing - roll
  - landing gear,axle - fatigue (cause)
- Nose over, landing - roll

## Analysis

DURING LANDING ROLL, FOLLOWING A STUDENT PRACTICE FULL STALL LANDING, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AXLE BROKE AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. THE SAFETY BOARD'S LABORATORY EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURE PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT THE AXLE FAILED IN FATIGUE. RESEARCH DID NOT PROVIDE INFORMATION TO INDICATE THIS WAS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM.

## Factual narrative

On September 28, 1994, at 1400 mountain daylight time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, N53844, sustained substantial damage when the left main landing gear separated during landing roll at a private airstrip near Frederick, Colorado.  The pilot and student pilot were not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for this local area instructional flight.

Based on a pilot report, the event was originally classified as an incident.  It was upgraded to an accident following examination by an FAA airworthiness inspector.

According to the pilot, he was conducting a student training flight and during landing roll, following a practice full stall landing, the left main landing gear axle broke and the aircraft nosed over.

Examination of the axle was conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Laboratory who found that the axle failed in fatigue.  Their report is attached.

A review of FAA Service Difficulty Reports was conducted.  This review provided information that over the life of the 7KCAB type aircraft there have been only four previous failures of this type reported by that method.  No other information concerning previous failures was found.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N53844](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N53844), registered now, S/N 551-76, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELLANCA 7KCAB
- Registry model: [Bellanca 7KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7kcab) (registry code 1220701) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 551-76
- Airframe hours: 1742
- Engines: LYCOMING AEIO-320-E2B 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Inman Aviation Group, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection: Annual, August 19, 1994, 18 hours before
- Airport: Frederick (Private), runway 36, 2,600 × 60 ft, dirt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 25; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: rear; flight hours: 1,130 total, 67 in this make and model, 1,000 as pilot in command, 135 in the last 90 days, 95 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °F

## 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 19940928032139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940928032139A), Sep 28, 1994: Bbavia 7KCAB, Frederick, CO, Substantial damage. During full stall landing left main wheel axle failed from fatigue. Nosed over.

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.

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