- Date
- July 27, 2008, 15:11 local (22:11 UTC)
- Place
- Helena, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N50476Bellanca 7GCBC
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080727840469A
- Case key
- 68538
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 failure of the pilot receiving instruction to adequately compensate for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain directional control. Also causal was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action and inadequate supervision of the flight.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) were performing a series of three-point touch-and-go landings in a tail wheel-equipped airplane when the accident occurred. The CFI reported the airplane touched down on runway 09 in a "side drift" with the front seat private pilot at the controls. The airplane drifted left of the runway centerline as the CFI took the controls in an attempt regain directional control. During his attempt to regain control, the airplane swerved and the left main landing gear collapsed. The left wing subsequently contacted the runway resulting in structural damage. The CFI reported the wind at the time of the accident was from 050 degrees at 7 knots.
Factual narrative
The private pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) were performing a series of three-point touch-and-go landings in a tail wheel-equipped airplane when the accident occurred. The CFI reported the airplane touched down on runway 09 in a "side drift" with the front seat private pilot at the controls. The airplane drifted left of the runway centerline as the CFI took the controls in an attempt regain directional control. During his attempt to regain control, the airplane swerved and the left main landing gear collapsed. The left wing subsequently contacted the runway resulting in structural damage.
The CFI reported the wind at the time of the accident was from 050 degrees at 7 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N50476
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1137-79
- Airframe hours
- 2,148
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sleeping Giant Flying Club
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2008
- Departed
- KHLN · Helena, MT
- Destination
- KHLN · Helena, MT
- Airport
- HLN · Helena Regional, runway 09, 9,000 × 150 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2007
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 541 total · 17 in this make and model · 6 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,639 total · 53 in this make and model · 177 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2008, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 581 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N50476 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.