# NTSB SEA05LA056: Bellanca 7GCBC, N53719, Prineville, OR, January 30, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 30, 2005, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Prineville, OR - Coordinates: 44.195278, -120.823059 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.1953&lon=-120.8231&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 7, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 61104 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA05LA056 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61104/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA05LA056 ## Probable cause Other maintenance personnel's inadequate reassembly of the tail wheel assembly and the left main landing gear breaking assembly resulting in an inadvertent loss of control during the landing roll. Contributing factors were the pilot's inadvertent swerve during landing (aircraft control not possible), and the subsequent impact with rocks and trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - roll - maintenance,installation - inadequate, other maintenance personnel (cause) - landing gear,steering system - failure (cause) - landing gear,tailwheel assembly - improper (cause) - landing gear,normal brake system - improper (cause) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not possible, pilot in command (contributing factor) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) - terrain condition - rock(s)/boulder(s) (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot said that the airplane was 12 hours out of restoration. He said that during the touchdown roll the airplane veered to the right, departed the runway and impacted some trees. Postimpact examination of the tailwheel assembly found that during its reassembly, two shims were installed backwards which had disabled the steering capability of the assembly. Additionally the master cylinder on the left brake pedal had separated, and it was determined that its safety cotter key was missing. The impact destroyed the engine cowling, bent the left gear box, and wrinkled the empennage. The pilot reported the accident on March 7, 2005. ## Factual narrative On January 30, 2005, at approximately 1400 Pacific standard time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, N53719, was substantially damaged when it ground looped/swerved during landing at Dry Creek Airpark, Prineville, Oregon. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. The pilot/owner was operating the flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local, personal flight that originated at approximately 1300. No flight plan had been filed. The pilot said that the airplane was 12 hours out of restoration. He said that during the touchdown roll the airplane veered to the right, departed the runway and impacted some trees. Postimpact examination of the tailwheel assembly found that during its reassembly, two shims were installed backwards which had disabled the steering capability of the assembly. Additionally the master cylinder on the left brake pedal had separated, and it was determined that its safety cotter key was missing. The impact destroyed the engine cowling, bent the left gear box, and wrinkled the empennage. The pilot reported the accident on March 7, 2005. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N53719](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N53719), registered now, S/N 858-75, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bellanca 7GCBC - Registry model: [Bellanca 7GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7gcbc) (registry code 1220601) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 858-75 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Charles R. Allen - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 1, 2004, 2 hours before - Departed: OG21, Prineville, OR - Destination: 0G21 - Airport: OG21, Dry Creek Airpark, runway 07, 3,000 × 35 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review March 16, 2004; seat: front; flight hours: 20,000 total, 2,100 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.31 inHg - Observed at: RDM, 10 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 20050130003049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050130003049A), Jan 30, 2005: Bbavia 7GCBC, Prineville, OR, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot conducted landing to runway 07 at dry Creek airpark. Upon roll out the aircraft veered right. Pilot applied left rudder and left brake with no… 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.