# NTSB MIA03LA010: Bellanca 17-30A, N9558E, Pell City, AL, November 2, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 2, 2002, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Pell City, AL - Coordinates: 33.564723, -86.248886 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5647&lon=-86.2489&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 1, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55992 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA03LA010 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55992/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA010 ## 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 In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare - high, pilot in command - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ditch ## 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](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9558E), registered now, S/N 76-30798, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bellanca 17-30A - Registry model: [Bellanca 17-30A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30a) (registry code 1220433) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 76-30798 - Airframe hours: 2276.61 - Engines: 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 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 76; injuries: none; 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20021102030709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021102030709A), Nov 2, 2002: Blanca 1730A, Pell City, AL, Substantial damage. (-23) On November 2, 2002, at 1640 CST, a bllanca BL-17-30A, N9558E registered to and operated by a private individual, crashed while attempting to land at st.… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.