WPR13CA255

NTSB accident investigation · Bellanca 7ECA · San Martin, CA · May 31, 2013

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
May 31, 2013, 09:55 local (16:55 UTC)
Place
San Martin, CA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N5032GBellanca 7ECA
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 5, 2013
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Western Pacific Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20130531009689A
Case key
87052

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Findings · 2

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.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedBellanca 7ECA: 11 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotBellanca 7ECA: 12 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause

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 pilot reported that as she approached the airport to land she called for traffic advisories, however, received no response. She flew over the airport to observe the windsocks, which are located at each end of the runway, and elected to land on runway 14. During the landing roll, the airplane made a sudden turn to the right, exited the right side of the runway, and came to rest on the grass. During the accident sequence the airplane’s left wing sustained substantial damage. At the time of the accident, the airport’s weather system reported wind from 340 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that as she approached the airport to land she called for traffic advisories, however, received no response. She flew over the airport to observe the windsocks, which are located at each end of the runway, and elected to land on runway 14. During the landing roll, the airplane made a sudden turn to the right, exited the right side of the runway, and came to rest on the grass. During the accident sequence the airplane’s left wing sustained substantial damage. At the time of the accident, the airport’s weather system reported wind from 340 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N5032G
Reported as
Bellanca 7ECA
Category
Airplane
Serial number
1283-79
Airframe hours
16,000
Engine
Lycoming O-235 SERIES, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Amelia Reid Aviation LLC
Registered owner
Amelia Reid Aviation LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · May 16, 2013 · 17 hours before
Departed
RHV · San Jose, CA
Destination
E16 · San Martin, CA
Airport
E16 · South County Airport, runway 14, 3,100 × 75 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

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
67
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
May 3, 2013
Seat
Front
Flight hours
210 total · 210 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
340° at 10 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
68 °F, dew point 45 °F
Altimeter
30.02 inHg
Observed at
E16

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 8, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB 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 N5032G · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.