- Date
- August 5, 1999, 17:55 local (22:55 UTC)
- Place
- Whitewright, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N141CHBellanca 8GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 23, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990805010799A
- Case key
- 46935
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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane.
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 lost control of the tail-wheel equipped airplane during takeoff from his private airstrip. The pilot stated that after the main wheels lifted off of the ground, the airplane 'experienced an abrupt yaw,' which he attempted to counteract with opposite rudder. The airplane started to 'crow hop, each time getting airborne a couple of feet, then returning to the ground.' The pilot was preparing to abort the takeoff; however, the right main landing gear collapsed resulting in the right wing impacting the ground.
Factual narrative
On August 5, 1999, at 1755 central daylight time, a Bellanca 8GCBC tail-wheel equipped airplane, N141CH, was substantially damaged during takeoff from a private grass airstrip near Whitewright, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot. The airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight was initiating at the time of the accident.
In the enclosed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot stated that the winds were calm. The pilot was taking off to the north from his private grass airstrip. The main wheels lifted off of the ground, and the airplane "experienced an abrupt yaw," which he attempted to counteract with opposite rudder. The aircraft began to "crow hop, each time getting airborne a couple of feet, then returning to the ground." The pilot added that he was preparing to abort the takeoff; however, "the last touchdown collapsed the right main landing gear," resulting in the right wing impacting the ground.
According to the pilot, the right wing's wooden spar was structurally damaged, and the propeller blades sustained damage.
The pilot had accumulated 10,757 hours of total flight time, of which 19 hours were in the accident airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N141CH
- Reported as
- Bellanca 8GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 324-79
- Airframe hours
- 2,950
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C2E, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- George Goldthwaite
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 11, 1999 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE · None, runway 35, 1,600 × 150 ft, grass/turf
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
- 48
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 10,757 total · 19 in this make and model · 7,333 as pilot in command · 173 in the last 90 days · 57 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 100 °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.