No fatalities

7 Jan 2008: Bellanca 7GCBC — Exeter, CA

Exeter, CA, United States

On 7 Jan 2008, a Bellanca 7GCBC was involved in an aviation accident near Exeter, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During landing, the airplane veered right; the pilot applied left rudder but could not fully depress it due to the front seat position. The right main wheel contacted soft mud, causing the airplane to nose over, damaging the wings and left flap.

Accident Narrative

The pilot reported that during the landing roll, the airplane veered to the right. He corrected by applying left rudder, but the airplane again veered to the right. As the pilot applied left rudder again, the right main wheel came into contact with soft mud, and the airplane nosed over. The accident resulted in damage to the wings and the left flap.

Pilot's Remarks

The pilot, a certified flight instructor (CFI) with experience instructing in Citabria aircraft, stated that he typically occupies the rear seat during flights. On this occasion, he was flying from the front seat with a friend as passenger. He expressed concern that, at a height of 5 feet 6 inches, he could not fully reach the rudder pedals from the front seat. He considered using a pillow to sit further forward but decided against it. The pilot indicated that his inability to apply full left rudder was a factor in the loss of directional control.

Investigation

An FAA coordinator interviewed the pilot following the accident. The investigation documented the damage sustained by the aircraft, including the wings and left flap. No other factors were reported in the source.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome