- Date
- September 2, 2001, 09:13 local (16:13 UTC)
- Place
- Bridgeport, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5042DBellanca 7GCAA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flt Stnds Dist Office
- FAA report
- 20010902023279A
- Case key
- 53446
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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the tail wheel equipped aircraft during landing roll which resulted in a ground loop.
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 landed the airplane on runway 16 (4,329 feet long x 60 feet wide). The tail of the aircraft bounced violently and the airplane veered to the left. He applied right rudder and some power; however, the airplane drifted off the east edge of the runway and ground looped when the right main landing gear entered dense brush. The right landing gear was torn off and the right-hand wing contacted the ground during the ensuing ground loop. In his report to the Safety Board, in the section "Mechanical Malfunction Failure," the pilot checked "no." He also reported the wind was calm.
Factual narrative
On September 2, 2001, at 0913 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bellanca 7GCAA, N5042D, was substantially damaged during a landing ground loop at Bryant Field, Bridgeport, California. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. The personal flight was operated by Sierra Flyers, Inc., under 14 CFR Part 91, and departed from Minden, Nevada, at 0820. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that he landed the airplane on runway 16 (4,329 feet long x 60 feet wide). The tail of the aircraft bounced violently and the airplane veered to the left. He applied right rudder and some power; however, the airplane drifted off the east edge of the runway and ground looped when the right main landing gear entered dense brush. The right landing gear was torn off and the right-hand wing contacted the ground during the ensuing ground loop. In his report to the Safety Board, in the section "Mechanical Malfunction Failure," the pilot checked "no." He also reported the wind was calm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5042D
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCAA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 378-79
- Airframe hours
- 2,089
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sierra Flyers Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 21, 2001 · 64 hours before
- Departed
- MEV · Minden, NV
- Destination
- O57 · Bridgeport, CA
- Airport
- O57 · Bryant Field, runway 16, 4,329 × 60 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
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2001
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 107 total · 17 in this make and model · 69 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- RNO, 325 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.