- Date
- April 23, 1996, 08:25 local (15:25 UTC)
- Place
- Tucson, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N333JSBellanca 7KCAB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 20, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960423010639A
- Case key
- 29426
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
failure of the pilot to adequately compensate for gusting crosswind conditions and to maintain directional control. A factor in the accident was unattended construction equipment parked in close proximity to the runway edge.
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 entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern and noted that the windsock was indicating calm winds. He completed the normal rectangular traffic pattern with no indications of the wind conditions changing. During touchdown a gust of wind from the west raised the right wing, allowing the airplane to drift left. The pilot unsuccessfully attempted to correct the drift and then attempted a go-around. The pilot aborted the go-around when he saw a back hoe in his path. The airplane's left wing then collided with the back hoe, which was parked unattended about 20 to 30 feet from the runway's edge. After the accident, the winds were noted to shift periodically with gusts above 15 miles per hour.
Factual narrative
On April 23, 1996, at 0825 hours mountain standard time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, N333JS, collided with a back hoe after landing on runway 12 at the Avra Valley airport, Tucson, Arizona. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight. The flight originated from the La Cholla Airpark in Tucson about 0755 hours. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
The pilot indicated he entered the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern and noted the windsock was indicating calm winds. He completed the normal rectangular traffic pattern with no indications of the wind conditions changing. He also stated that a gust of wind from the west raised the right wing, allowing the airplane to drift left as it touched down.
The pilot immediately applied right aileron and rudder. The wings returned to level and the airplane continued to drift left towards the left shoulder of the runway. He added power and then removed it when he saw a back hoe adjacent to the runway in his path. He was attempting to steer the airplane clear with the rudder pedals when the left wing collided with the back hoe.
The pilot stated that the back hoe was parked with the engine running unattended about 20 to 30 feet from the runway's edge.
The pilot remained with the airplane for several hours after the accident. During that period he noted the windsock would indicate calm winds with periodic shifting gusts above 15 miles per hour.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N333JS
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7KCAB
- Category
- Airplane
- Airframe hours
- 2,200
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-320-E2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Taildragger Pilots Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 40E · CA
- Destination
- E14
- Airport
- E14 · Avra Valley, runway 12, 6,901 × 100 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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 157 total · 31 in this make and model · 157 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TUS, 23 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 N333JS · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.