Accident Overview
On August 16, 2010, at about 0705 mountain daylight time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registration N5034K, impacted terrain approximately 10 miles south of Douglas, Wyoming. The commercial pilot and his passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane, owned and operated by Laird Flying Service, incurred substantial damage.
Flight Details
The local flight, conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, was a wildlife observation mission. It departed Douglas, Wyoming, about 13 minutes before the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Sequence of Events
According to an FAA inspector who interviewed both occupants, the pilot was maneuvering at about 300 feet above ground level (agl) so that the passenger, a wildlife biologist, could count antelope in a field. The passenger requested a lower altitude to better determine the age and sex of the antelope. The pilot initiated a series of turns and, while still in a turn, began to slip the airplane with the left wing low to lose altitude. Near the end of the maneuver, the descent rate increased significantly. Before the pilot could level the wings and arrest the descent, the left wing contacted the terrain. After the wing strike, the airplane bounced back into the air, came down almost directly on its nose, and then cartwheeled.
Weight and Systems
As part of the investigation, the FAA inspector calculated the airplane's weight at the time of the accident. The calculation determined that the airplane was about 239 pounds over the maximum allowable gross weight. A subsequent inspection of the flight control system revealed no evidence of anomalies. Both the pilot and passenger reported no unusual engine noises before or during the accident sequence.