LAX06CA086

NTSB accident investigation · Bellanca 7KCAB · Fallbrook, CA · January 9, 2006

Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
January 9, 2006, 11:05 local (19:05 UTC)
Place
Fallbrook, CA
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N36382Bellanca 7KCAB
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 25, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20060109001409A
Case key
63079

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

the student pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind condition and his failure to maintain directional control.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Weather condition - crosswind
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Ground loop/swerve - encounteredPilot in command
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - tree(s)

Analysis

The airplane veered off the runway and collided with trees while performing a touch-and-go takeoff and landing. The student pilot said that airplane bounced slightly and he pulled back on the control stick to cushion the second touchdown. After the airplane settled onto the runway, a gust of wind lifted the right wing. The left wing was pushed into the ground, rotating the airplane to the right. At that point the airplane was traveling towards parked airplanes in the transient area. The student pilot attempted to correct back to the runway with the use of full left rudder and left brake; however, his flight control inputs did not affect the direction of travel. He applied full throttle to get airborne again and steer the airplane back towards the runway, but collided with trees on the east side of the airport. Reported winds in the area were from 010 to 030 degrees between 4 to 10 knots.

Factual narrative

On January 9, 2006, about 1105 Pacific standard time, a Bellanca 7KCAB (Citabria), N36382, veered off runway 36 after landing, and collided with trees at Fallbrook Community Airpark, Fallbrook, California. The owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The solo instructional flight departed Oceanside Municipal Airport (OKB), Oceanside, California, about 1000. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board, the student pilot stated he was performing a touch-and-go landing at the time of the accident. The airplane bounced on touchdown, and the student pilot pulled back on the control stick to settle the airplane on the runway. He reported that a gust of wind lifted the right wing of the airplane, pushing the left wing into the ground and turning the airplane to the right. He applied full left rudder, then left brake, and then "hard left brake," but was still on a collision course with airplanes parked in the transient area. The student pilot applied full power to get the airplane off the ground and back on the runway, but could not avoid hitting the trees on the east side of the airport.

The pilot reported that the winds were from 010 degrees between 4 to 6 knots. The next closest reporting station was Camp Pendleton MCAS (Munn Field) Airport (NFG), located about 6 statute miles north east of the accident site. Camp Pendleton reported winds from 030 degrees at 10 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N36382
Reported as
Bellanca 7KCAB
Category
Airplane
Serial number
389-73
Airframe hours
1,391.5
Engine
Textron Lycoming IO-320, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · August 1, 2005
Departed
OKB · Oceanside, CA
Destination
L18 · Fallbrook, CA
Airport
L18 · Fallbrook Community Airpark, runway 36, 2,160 × 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
Student pilot
Age
57
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Front
Flight hours
49 total · 49 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
30° at 10 knots
Visibility
7 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
73 °F, dew point 32 °F
Altimeter
30.17 inHg
Observed at
NFG, 19 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.