Bellanca 7GCBC N88237

Summary

On 21 June 2017 at about 00:00 local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC registered N88237 was involved in an accident near Edgewood, New Mexico, 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

21 June 2017 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Edgewood, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Sandia Airpark Estates East (1N1)

Coordinates

35.0947, -106.1644

Aircraft

Bellanca 7GCBC

Registration

N88237

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Edgewood → Edgewood

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA357

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's decision to take off with a gusting tailwind, which resulted in a loss of pitch control during the initial climb and a subsequent hard landing and loss of directional control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, about 8 seconds into the takeoff roll in gusting wind conditions at high-density altitude, the airplane "suddenly and expectantly lifted off the runway in a steep angle of attack." He added that he immediately reduced power to idle to abort the initial climb, and the airplane "settled back onto the runway but landed hard." He further added that, during the landing roll, he lost directional control, and the airplane veered off the runway, coming to rest in the dirt alongside the runway. The fuselage, left wing, and aileron sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station, 10 nautical miles southeast of the accident airport, reported that, 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 150° at 16 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The pilot reported that he observed the wind from 300° at 8 knots, gusting to 15 knots. He reported that the takeoff was on runway 9. He further reported that the density altitude was 10,000 ft at the departure airport.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.