# NTSB GAA15CA054: Bellanca 1730 - A, N9523E, Campbellsville, KY, April 21, 2015

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: April 21, 2015, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place: Campbellsville, KY
- Coordinates: 37.360832, -85.305831 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3608&lon=-85.3058&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 9, 2015
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 91105
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA15CA054
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91105/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91105
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA054

## Probable cause

The pilot's improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

During the landing flare, the pilot reported that it "felt like the air was sucked out from under the plane". The airplane landed hard on the main landing gear, bounced and touched down again buckling the nose landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

During the landing flare, the pilot reported that it "felt like the air was sucked out from under the plane". The airplane landed hard on the main landing gear, bounced and touched down again buckling the nose landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9523E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9523E-2017-03-03), registration cancelled 2017-03-03, S/N 75-30785, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELLANCA 1730 - A (A)
- Registry model: [Bellanca 17-30A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30a) (registry code 1220433) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 75-30785
- Year built: 1975
- Airframe hours: 2811
- Engines: Continental Motor IO 520 K1B 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 4, 2014, 5 hours before
- Departed: GLW, GLASGOW, KY
- Destination: GLW, GLASGOW, KY
- Airport: AAS, Taylor County, runway 23, 5,003 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 400 total, 350 in this make and model, 350 as pilot in command, 9.5 in the last 90 days, 8.1 in the last 30 days, 0.8 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 8,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observed at: KDVK, 29 nm away

## 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 20150421005379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150421005379A), Apr 21, 2015: Bellanca 17-30A, Campbellsville, KY, Substantial damage. On 4/28/2015, the louisville FSDO was informed of an accident that occurred on 4/21/2015 involving a hard landing on runway 23 at kaas in gusty crosswinds. The…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 4, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91105. 3.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 801 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40427434&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Photo 1 – Firewall Damage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40427435&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93%20Firewall%20Damage%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.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.

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