On September 18, 1999, a Bellanca 8KCAB (registration N53895) operated by Paul Smith was involved in an aviation accident near Troy, MO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during landing. Factors in the accident were the proper alignment not attained by the pilot and the trees. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported losing control during landing on a sod runway. After touching down near the right side, the aircraft drifted right. Unable to turn left quickly to avoid parked aircraft, the pilot turned right, resulting in a collision with trees.
Incident Description
A pilot reported losing control of an airplane during a landing on a sod runway. According to the pilot, the aircraft touched down near the right side of the runway. After touchdown, the pilot attempted to center the aircraft on the runway, but the aircraft continued to move to the right side. As the airplane approached a group of parked aircraft, the pilot found that the aircraft was slow to turn to the left. To avoid the parked aircraft, the pilot decided to make a sharp right turn. Shortly after making the sharp right turn, the airplane collided with trees. The pilot's account provides the details of the event. Upon touching down near the right side, the pilot recognized the need to center the aircraft. He attempted to steer left but the aircraft's response was slow. The drift continued. As the aircraft neared parked airplanes, the pilot opted for a sharp right turn to avoid them. This turn led to a collision with trees.