- Date
- April 9, 2017, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Stafford, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N55067Bellanca 8KCAB
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170409008449A
- Case key
- 95010
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 during the takeoff roll.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the takeoff roll, as the airplane crested a hill about a third of the way down the grass runway, the airplane was close to the right edge of the runway. He added that he could not clearly distinguish the runway edges and applied left rudder, but in doing so, the airplane departed the runway surface to the left and nosed over in rough muddy terrain. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the takeoff roll, as the airplane crested a hill about 1/3 of the way down the grass runway, the airplane was close to the right edge of the runway. He added that he could not clearly distinguish the runway edges and applied left rudder, but in doing so, the airplane departed the runway surface to the left and nosed over in rough muddy terrain. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55067
- Reported as
- Bellanca 8KCAB (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 428-78
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 2,679.25
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-320-ETE, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 3, 2017
- Departed
- 3TA · Stafford, KS
- Destination
- LQR · Larned, KS
- Airport
- 3TA · Stafford Muni, runway 13, 1,900 × 80 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 86
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 24, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 21,038 total · 1,464 in this make and model · 20,772 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.62 inHg
- Observed at
- KPTT, 15 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 14, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.