- Date
- February 15, 2001, 11:17 local (19:17 UTC)
- Place
- San Jose, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N53893Bellanca 7ECA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 23, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- WP-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010215001609A
- Case key
- 51737
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 inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind condition and subsequent failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout.
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 airplane veered off the runway during landing and collided with obstacles. The pilot planned to practice takeoffs and landings in the airport's traffic pattern. No problems with the airplane were noted during the taxi out, takeoff, or final approach. On final approach, the pilot observed the presence of a left crosswind, and he entered a slip to compensate for the airplane's drift. However, the pilot failed to maintain directional control during the landing roll in the conventional gear airplane. It veered off runway 31R and impacted the airport's anemometer. At 1117, the wind at the airport was from 230 degrees at 7 knots.
Factual narrative
On February 15, 2001, about 1117 hours Pacific standard time, a Bellanca 7ECA, N53893, veered off the runway and collided with an obstacle during landing rollout at the Reid-Hillview of Santa Clara County Airport, San Jose, California. The airplane was operated by Amelia Reid Aviation, San Jose, and it was substantially damaged. The private pilot was not injured. The personal flight was performed under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local area flight that originated from the airport about 1100.
The pilot indicated that he intended to practice takeoffs and landings in the airport's traffic pattern. No problems with the airplane were noted during the taxi out, takeoff, or final approach. He did observe a left crosswind and entered a slip to compensate for the airplane's drift. However, during the landing rollout the conventional gear airplane veered off runway 31R. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to redirect the airplane back onto the runway. As it decelerated off the runway, it impacted the airport's wind-measuring instrument (anemometer). The pilot did not report experiencing any mechanical malfunction with the airplane's brakes or flight control system.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, at 1117, the wind at the airport was from 230 degrees at 7 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53893
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7ECA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1140-76
- Airframe hours
- 12,403
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Amelia Reid
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2000 · 28 hours before
- Departed
- RHV · San Jose, CA
- Destination
- RHV · San Jose, CA
- Airport
- RHV · Reid-Hillview of Santa ClaraCo, runway 31R, 3,101 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 29, 2000
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 248 total · 36 in this make and model · 167 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- RHV
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N53893 · 5
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.