Bellanca 7GCBC N36596

Summary

On 25 August 2002 at about 18:00 local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC registered N36596 was involved in an accident near Melstone, Montana, 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

25 August 2002 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Melstone, Montana, United States

Coordinates

46.5967, -107.8683

Aircraft

Bellanca 7GCBC

Registration

N36596

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Melstone → Roundup

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA02LA165

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper decision to continue a takeoff once it had become apparent that it was questionable whether the aircraft would clear an obstacle at the departure end of the takeoff area. Factors include the pilot's failure to perform pre-takeoff performance calculations, a high density altitude, and a ditch berm at the end of the area the pilot was using for the attempted takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot, who was attempting a takeoff in a 750 foot area in an open field, realized during the takeoff roll that the aircraft might not clear a known three foot ditch berm at the departure end of the takeoff area. Although he became unsure whether the aircraft would clear the obstacle, he continued the attempted takeoff, and both of the aircraft's main landing gear were torn from their mounts when they eventually collided with the berm. The density altitude was approximately 4740 feet, and the pilot, who had not performed any pre-takeoff performance calculations, had based his assumption that the aircraft could get off in the available distance upon the fact that a Piper Super Cub had successfully taken off from the field in the past.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.