On August 22, 1992, a Bellanca 7ECA (registration N50264) operated by O.t. Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near West Mifflin, PA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go landing, which resulted in a ground loop and subsequent collapse of the left main landing gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot with limited experience in the aircraft type experienced a ground loop to the right during a touch-and-go landing, resulting in the collapse of the left main landing gear.
What happened
The accident occurred during a training flight involving multiple touch-and-go landings and takeoffs. On the final approach that ended in the incident, the aircraft deviated from its intended path on the runway. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control, causing the airplane to ground loop sharply to the right. This violent yawing motion placed excessive stress on the airframe's undercarriage, leading directly to the structural failure of the left main landing gear, which collapsed upon impact with the ground.
The investigation
Following the accident, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors conducted a thorough examination of the aircraft's critical control systems. They specifically tested both brake assemblies and the steerable tail wheel mechanism to determine if mechanical failure contributed to the loss of control. The inspection revealed no discrepancies in the braking or steering components, indicating that the equipment functioned as designed during the event.
Findings
A significant factor in this accident was the pilot's limited proficiency with the specific aircraft type. Records indicated that the pilot had logged only a total of 4 hours of flight time in this make and model prior to the accident. This low level of experience likely contributed to the inability to correct the ground loop effectively during the high-energy phase of the landing.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go landing, which resulted in a ground loop and subsequent collapse of the left main landing gear.