- Date
- November 2, 2002, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pell City, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9558EBellanca 17-30A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20021102030709A
- Case key
- 55992
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 following landing touchdown, resulting in a runway excursion and collision with a ditch off the left side of the runway.
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
According to the pilot, he flared a little high on his landing attempt, and, "The minute the plane hit the ground, it shot off to the left". Despite his using right rudder to retain control, the airplane exited the runway off the left edge, into the grass, and encountered a ditch. The landing gear were sheared off, and the airplane sustained a propeller strike. The FAA inspector stated that postcrash investigation of the accident revealed no malfunctions with any airplane components or systems. Reported winds in the area were from 30 degrees left of runway heading at 6 knots.
Factual narrative
On November 2, 2002, about 1530 central standard time, a Bellanca BL-17-30A Viking, N9558E, registered to Burrus and Associates, Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, sustained a runway excursion during landing at St. Cloud County Airport, Pell City, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage, and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from the same airport about 30 minutes before the accident.
According to the pilot, he made a normal approach at St. Cloud County Airport. He stated he, "Flared plane out a little high. Pulled back on yoke and it settled down. The minute the plane hit the ground, it shot off to the left. Pushed in right rudder to get control. At that time I was in the grass and the rudder had no control. I ran across a ditch. This is when landing gear and prop were damaged."
According to an FAA inspector, the pilot was landing on runway 02, lost directional control, and the aircraft exited the runway to the left, into the grass, and continued on, through a ditch, which sheared off the nose and main landing gear. His examination of the airplane revealed that there was no mechanical failure of the aircraft components or systems, and that the pilot failed to control the airplane on the active runway. Reported surface winds at 1553 for the Birmingham area were from 350 degrees at 6 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9558E
- Reported as
- Bellanca 17-30A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 76-30798
- Airframe hours
- 2,276.61
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-R, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Burrus and Associates, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 11, 2002 · 18 hours before
- Departed
- PLR · Pell City, AL
- Airport
- PLR · St. Clair County, runway 02, 5,002 × 80 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
- 76
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- May 11, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,601 total · 124 in this make and model · 1,601 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 14,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- BHM, 24 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.