# NTSB WPR21LA334: Bellanca 17-30A, N15DQ, Hurricane, UT, September 3, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 3, 2021, 11:20 local (17:20 UTC)
- Place: Hurricane, UT · airplane came to rest in an alfalfa field south of runway 19
- Coordinates: 37.130823, -113.30875 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.1308&lon=-113.3088&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 103796
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR21LA334
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103796/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103796
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA334

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md)
- [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md)
- [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Unknown/Not determined; cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-30A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=1220433), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that, during landing he failed to extend the landing gear and attempted to initiate a go-around. The airplane attained an altitude of about 100 ft above the ground before it would no longer climb and maintain airspeed. The pilot subsequently initiated a forced landing to a nearby field with the landing gear now extended. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a barbed wire fence, substantially damaging the wings. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane other than the Auto-Axtion system, a pilot back-up device to automatically lower the landing regardless of the position of the landing gear switch, minimizing the possibility of an accidental gear-up landing did not work. The back-up system was not examined.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N15DQ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N15DQ), registered now, S/N 75-30773, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELLANCA 17-30A
- Registry model: [Bellanca 17-30A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-30a) (registry code 1220433) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 75-30773
- Year built: 1975
- Airframe hours: 1239.81
- Engines: Continental IO-520-K 285 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Lamina LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 31, 2021
- Departed: KFLY, Meadow Lake, CO
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: 1L8, General Dick Stout Field, runway 19, 3,282 × 40 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Onboard weather, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 70; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 19, 2020; seat: left; flight hours: 1,128 total, 100 in this make and model, 1,025 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 3002.00 inHg
- Observed at: KSGU, 11 nm away
- METAR: KSGU 031656Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 26/12 A3002

## 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 20210903015359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210903015359A), Sep 3, 2021: Bellanca 17-30A, Hurricane, UT, Substantial damage. The commercial pilot was landing and realized that the landing gear had not been deployed. He then applied full power for a go-around. The propeller had…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 31, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103796. 4.0 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13145656&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- NTSB roc report (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13145027&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20ROC%20report_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Wreckage photo (courtesy of pilot) (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13148546&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20(courtesy%20of%20pilot)-Rel.pdf

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.

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