# NTSB SEA04LA069: Bellanca 7GCBC, N90076, Marion, MT, March 20, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 20, 2004, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Marion, MT - Coordinates: 48.099445, -114.650833 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.0994&lon=-114.6508&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 59051 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA04LA069 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59051/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA04LA069 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing factors were the gust of wind and the snowbank. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - terrain condition - snowbank (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot of the tailwheel equipped aircraft touched down on the paved landing site after noting calm winds according to the windsock, and the aircraft then began to drift left. He then applied right rudder and the aircraft veered right departing the runway, impacting a snowbank and then nosing over. The pilot reported that another aircraft circling above advised him that his aircraft had been hit by a gust of wind from the right rear. ## Factual narrative On March 20, 2004, approximately 1430 mountain standard time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, N90076, registered to and being operated/flown by a commercial pilot sustained substantial damage during a loss of control on landing and subsequent nose over event at a private landing site approximately one nautical mile east-southeast of Marion, Montana. The pilot was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was operated under 14 CFR 91 and originated from Bonners Ferry, Idaho, earlier in the day. The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that he was returning from breakfast at Bonners Ferry and was landing on runway 20 at the newly established landing site. During the landing the pilot encountered a strong gust of wind from the right and the aircraft veered off the runway, hit a snow bank and nosed over. The pilot subsequently reported (see attached NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that he noted the windsock indicating calm winds upon landing and that on touchdown the aircraft "...started to the left...." He applied right rudder and the aircraft veered right. With full left rudder the aircraft departed the runway impacting a snowbank and then nosing over. The pilot reported that another aircraft circling the landing site at the time informed "...me that a gust of wind came up from my right rear...." The Cabin Creek Landing site is a development of homes situated around a paved runway of unknown length (refer to Chart I and Attachment A-I). The landing site had not received airspace authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration at the time of the accident and therefore, had no assigned identifier. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N90076](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N90076), registered now, S/N 414-72, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bellanca 7GCBC - Registry model: [Bellanca 7GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7gcbc) (registry code 1220601) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 414-72 - Airframe hours: 2453 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A25 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Gregoire, Bernard R. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 7, 2003, 81 hours before - Departed: 65S, Bonners Ferry, ID - Destination: Marion, MT - Airport: Cabin Creek Landing, runway 20, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 75; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review August 31, 2002; seat: front; flight hours: 7,242 total, 202 in this make and model, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 30.52 inHg - Observed at: FCA, 20 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 20040320005479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040320005479A), Mar 20, 2004: Bbavia 7GCBC, Marion, MT, Substantial damage. (-23) On 4/10/04, Mr. Bernard gregoire, owner and pilot of N90076, was interviewed. He stated that on 3/20/04, he landed on runway 20 at cabin creek airport, a… 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.