- Date
- January 7, 2008, 11:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Exeter, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N30WHBellanca 7GCBC
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080107000029A
- Case key
- 67350
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 failure to maintain directional control.
Findings · 3
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 during landing, the airplane veered to the right, which he corrected by using left rudder. The airplane again veered to the right, and as the pilot applied left rudder, the right main wheel came in contact with soft mud and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained damage to the wings and the left flap. The FAA coordinator interviewed the pilot. The pilot's statement was that he is a certified flight instructor who has instructed in Citabria's and usually sits in the rear seat. On this flight, he was taking a friend up and decided to fly from front seat. He stated that he was concerned when sitting in the front seat that he could not fully reach the rudder pedals (he is 5'6'' tall). He considered getting a pillow to help him sit forward but decided against it. He stated that his inability to apply full left rudder was a factor in loss of directional control.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during landing, the airplane veered to the right, which he corrected by using left rudder. The airplane again veered to the right, and as the pilot applied left rudder, the right main wheel came in contact with soft mud and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained damage to the wings and the left flap. The FAA coordinator interviewed the pilot. The pilot's statement was that he is a CFI who has instructed in Citabria's and usually sits in the rear seat. On this flight, he was taking a friend up and decided to fly from front seat. He stated that he was concerned when sitting in the front seat that he could not fully reach the rudder pedals (he is 5'6'' tall). He considered getting a pillow to help him sit forward but decided against it. He stated that his inability to apply full left rudder was a factor in loss of directional control.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N30WH
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 997-77
- Airframe hours
- 1,100
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2007 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- Exeter, CA
- Airport
- O63 · Thunderhawk Field, runway 31, 2,800 × 40 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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2007
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 4,600 total · 130 in this make and model · 4,500 as pilot in command · 240 in the last 90 days · 75 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- VIS, 13 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.
Other investigations on N30WH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.