- Date
- June 20, 2017, 17:00 local (Jun 21, 2017, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Edgewood, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N88237Bellanca 7GCBC
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 22, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170620009329A
- Case key
- 95419
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 decision to take off with a gusting tailwind, which resulted in a loss of pitch control during the initial climb and a subsequent hard landing and loss of directional control.
Findings · 6
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 reported that, about 8 seconds into the takeoff roll in gusting wind conditions at high-density altitude, the airplane "suddenly and expectantly lifted off the runway in a steep angle of attack." He added that he immediately reduced power to idle to abort the initial climb, and the airplane "settled back onto the runway but landed hard." He further added that, during the landing roll, he lost directional control, and the airplane veered off the runway, coming to rest in the dirt alongside the runway. The fuselage, left wing, and aileron sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station, 10 nautical miles southeast of the accident airport, reported that, 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 150° at 16 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The pilot reported that he observed the wind from 300° at 8 knots, gusting to 15 knots. He reported that the takeoff was on runway 9. He further reported that the density altitude was 10,000 ft at the departure airport.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, about 8 seconds into the takeoff roll in gusting wind conditions at high density altitude, the airplane "suddenly and expectantly lifted off the runway in a steep angle of attack." He added that, he immediately reduced power to idle to abort the initial climb, and the airplane "settled back onto the runway but landed hard." He further added that, during the landing roll, directional control was lost and the airplane veered off the runway, coming to rest in the dirt alongside the runway. The fuselage, left wing, and aileron sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station, 10 nautical miles southeast of the accident airport, 5 minutes before the accident, reported the wind from 150° at 16 knots, gusting 25 knots. The pilot reported that he observed the wind from 300° at 8 knots, gusting to 15 knots. He reported that the takeoff was on runway 9. He further reported that the density altitude was 10,000 ft. at the departure airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88237
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCBC (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 744-74
- Built
- 1974
- Airframe hours
- 1,390
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 21, 2016
- Departed
- 1N1 · Edgewood, NM
- Destination
- 1N1 · Edgewood, NM
- Airport
- 1N1 · Sandia Airpark Estates East, runway 9, 4,830 × 30 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 4, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 810 total · 150 in this make and model · 780 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 16 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- K0E0, 10 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.