- Date
- October 20, 1996, 16:20 local (21:20 UTC)
- Place
- Ledbetter, KY
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5029GBellanca BL28
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 30, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961020033129A
- Case key
- 28155
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 delay in executing a go-around, and his failure to obtain/maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall and collision with the ground.
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 reported that he was not satisfied with his first two approaches to land, so he went around each time. He said that on his third approach to land '...everything looked good...' so he 'dropped the plane on the field...' but used up too much runway and tried to go around again. He said the airplane '...started hitting the ground with the right wing...' and then cart-wheeled and came to rest against a tree. According to an FAA report, the pilot reported he stalled the aircraft and the right wing struck the ground, causing the aircraft to cartwheel. The aircraft came to rest 180 degree from the landing direction.
Factual narrative
On October 20, 1996, at about 1620 central daylight time, a Bellanca BL28, N5029G, was destroyed when it collided with terrain during a go-around at a private airstrip in Ledbetter, Kentucky. The pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated in his pilot operator report that he took off and remained in the traffic pattern. He said that he was not satisfied with his first two approaches to land and did go-arounds. He said that on his third approach to land "...everything looked good..." so he "dropped the plane on the field..." but used up too much runway and tried to go-around again. He said the airplane "...started hitting the ground with the right wing..." and then cartwheeled and came to rest against a tree.
According to the FAA, the pilot reported he stalled the aircraft and the right wing struck the ground causing the aircraft to cartwheel. Aircraft came to rest 180 degree from the landing direction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5029G
- Reported as
- Bellanca BL28
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 288-78
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-CIE, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert M. Karr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 17, 1996
- Airport
- Private Grass Strip, runway 36, 1,200 × 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
- 62
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 700 total · 170 in this make and model · 700 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Observed at
- PAH
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.