Bellanca 8GCBC N88417

Summary

On 11 November 2011 at about 15:30 local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC registered N88417, operated by Alaska Department of Fish and Game, was involved in an accident near Delta Junction, Alaska, United States. One person was 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

11 November 2011 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Delta Junction, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

63.8561, -145.0928

Aircraft

Bellanca 8GCBC

Registration

N88417

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Operating rule

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fairbanks → Delta Junction

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC12TA008

Nobody was injured.

Ice accretion in the main landing gear wheel brakes, which prevented the main landing gear wheels from rotating on landing, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that she had taxied for an extended period in loose snow at the departure airport. The subsequent flight and accident landing were in sub-freezing temperatures. On touchdown at the destination airstrip, the tires immediately dug into the shallow snow layer, and the airplane nosed down and skidded for several yards before nosing over. The pilot stated that she thought the brakes had frozen and locked the tires prior to landing, probably precipitated by taxiing in the loose snow at the departure airport. Postaccident examination found one brake still locked by ice and one free. No mechanical deficiencies other than the frozen brake were found.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.