Bellanca 7GCBC N8922

Summary

On 1 October 2016 at about 21:46 local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC registered N8922 was involved in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 October 2016 at 21:46

Classification

Accident

Location

Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Fairbanks Intl (FAI)

Coordinates

64.8150, -147.8564

Aircraft

Bellanca 7GCBC

Registration

N8922

Category

Airplane

Year built

1973

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fairbanks → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA001

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s improper crosswind correction, which resulted in a loss of pitch control and nose-over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, during the approach, he applied carburetor heat, set airspeed to 70 knots, and set the flaps to 1 notch less than full. He reported that the flare and touchdown on the gravel runway was "very smooth." However, he recalled that, when the tailwheel contacted the ground, the right wing ascended, and the left wing dragged across the ground. The pilot reported that the left wing strut failed and that the airplane nosed over and came to rest on the gravel runway. Additionally, the pilot noted that, after the accident, the wind sock indicated a direct crosswind from the right and varied between three-quarters to completely full. However, postaccident photographs of the airplane revealed that the airplane's left wing sustained damage to its top side. The bottom side of the left wing, the wing tip, and the wing strut revealed no indication of runway contact. The photographs revealed substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.