- Date
- June 15, 1997, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Harrisonburg, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2537ZBellanca 7GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 8, 1999
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970615047089A
- Case key
- 39377
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 obtain the proper touchdown point. A contributing factor was the transmission line.
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
A short final approach was made to runway 5, a 1,200 foot long grass runway. The airplane touched down long, and the pilot executed a go-around by reducing the flaps to 14 degrees and applying full power to the engine. As the airplane climbed, the pilot realized that he would not clear 25-foot high wires that crossed over the departure end of the runway, and executed a sharp stick-back maneuver to gain maximum altitude. The right main landing gear struck the wires, which remained caught with the airplane. The airplane slowed, and descended to the ground nose first, coming to rest inverted.
Factual narrative
On June 15, 1997 about 1430 Eastern Daylight Time, N2537Z, a Bellanca 7GCBC, was substantially damaged while performing a go-around from a private airstrip near Harrisonburg, Virginia. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, a short final approach was made to Runway 5, a 1,200 foot long grass runway. The airplane touched down long, and the pilot executed a go-around by reducing the flaps to 14 degrees and applying full power to the engine. As the airplane climbed, the pilot realized that he would not clear 25-foot high wires that crossed over the departure end of the runway, and executed a sharp stick-back maneuver to gain maximum altitude. The right main landing gear struck the wires, and remained caught with the airplane. The airplane slowed, and descended to the ground nose first, coming to rest inverted.
The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2537Z
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1022-78
- Airframe hours
- 2,635
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-2AD, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Leon Johenning
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 25, 1996 · 38 hours before
- Departed
- SHD · Staunton, VA
- Destination
- NONE
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- NONE · Early Field, runway 5, 1,200 × 50 ft, grass/turf
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 216 total · 168 in this make and model · 140 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.