Bellanca 7GCBC N5505H

Summary

On 28 September 1991 at about 00:10 local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC registered N5505H, operated by Walter A. Kupferschmidt, was involved in an accident near Kaycee, Wyoming, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 September 1991 at 00:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Kaycee, Wyoming, United States

Coordinates

43.7001, -106.6291

Aircraft

Bellanca 7GCBC

Registration

N5505H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Walter A. Kupferschmidt

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gillette → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

SEA91LA254

Nobody was injured.

INADEQUATE CLEARANCE WITH THE VEHICLE AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN PROPER ASSISTANCE FOR THE TAKEOFF. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE 1) THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, 2) THE VEHICLE, AND 3) HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER LANDING ON A PAVED ROAD, THE PILOT SECURED THE AID OF A RANCHER TO ASSIST IN TAKEOFF. HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME WHICH REDUCED THE AIRCRAFT'S TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE. THE PILOT DID NOT ESTABLISH CLEAR PROCEDURES WITH THE RANCHER TO INSURE THAT THE ROADWAY WOULD BE CLEAR FOR A SUFFICIENT LENGTH FOR TAKEOFF. NOR DID HE ESTABLISH CLEAR COMMUNICATION PROCEDURES TO BE USED PRIOR TO THE TAKEOFF EVOLUTION. THE PILOT OBSERVED A HAND SIGNAL FROM THE RANCHER WHICH HE PERCEIVED TO BE A GO AHEAD FOR HIS DEPARTURE AND DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL HE ENCOUNTERED A VEHICLE DRAWN TRAILER ON THE ROAD IN HIS GROUND PATH. HE ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB AND TURN AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND THEN MANEUVER AWAY FROM TERRAIN, HOWEVER, ADEQUATE CLEARANCE WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO INSURE THE AIRCRAFT WOULD CLEAR THE TRAILER. THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WINGTIP IMPACTED THE TRAILER AND A LOSS OF CONTROL AND GROUND COLLISION FOLLOWED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.