History of the Flight
On August 4, 2012, at approximately 0713 mountain daylight time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registration N36286, was maneuvering near Imperial, Nebraska, when it impacted rising terrain. The pilot was fatally injured, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The aircraft was registered to German Land and Cattle and operated by the pilot as a business flight under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed. The flight had originated from Imperial Municipal Airport about 30 minutes prior.
The pilot reportedly used the airplane for livestock water tank checks and cattle herding. A family member interviewed at the accident site did not know the purpose of the flight but noted no cattle or water tanks in the immediate area. The initial impact point was on the west side of a ridge about 3.5 miles south of Imperial. The direction of travel at initial impact was east. The terrain comprised rolling hills with ridges rising 100 to 150 feet above valleys. The impacted hill was one of the tallest in the area; initial impact was about 10 feet below the ridge top. After impact, the aircraft traversed the ridge eastward into a valley, coming to rest pointing north.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane ratings. A second-class airman medical certificate, with a corrective lenses restriction, was issued on April 3, 2012. The pilot's flight logbook was not recovered; however, as of that medical exam, the pilot reported 280 total flight hours and 10 hours in the preceding six months.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Bellanca 7GCBC Citabria, serial number 562-73. It was a two-place, strut-braced high-wing, single-engine airplane with a conventional tailwheel landing gear. Power was provided by a 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320 reciprocating engine. Aircraft maintenance records were not recovered.
Meteorological Information
At 0653, the Imperial Municipal Airport ASOS reported wind from 350 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear sky, temperature 16°C, dew point 10°C, and altimeter 30.11 inHg. At the accident time, the sun was about 14 degrees above the horizon and 80 degrees east of north.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Initial impact evidence included two ground scars matching the main landing gear spread, a central fuselage scar extending eastward for about 10 feet, and a right wing impact scar to the south and east. Both main landing gear separated and were found between the initial impact point and the main wreckage. Debris included acrylic plastic, painted plastic, and metal aircraft components. The main wreckage contained all major airframe parts: fuselage, tail surfaces, wings, and engine. The engine was partially separated and twisted, the propeller separated. The forward fuselage was crushed rearward; the aft fuselage bent right at the rear seat. All tail surfaces remained attached with intact hinges. Both wings remained partially attached with fire damage to inboard spars; wing struts remained attached but buckled. The left aileron and flap attachments were mostly intact except for a separated inboard hinge section on the flap bent 90 degrees. The right aileron attachments were intact; the rear spar was broken between center and outboard aileron hinges. The right flap was intact. No preimpact structural failure was observed. Control system examination revealed some separations consistent with impact forces and melting. The engine examination showed no preimpact anomalies; compression and spark were verified, and the propeller blades exhibited leading edge polishing and chordwise scratching, with one blade bent 90 degrees rearward. Postaccident examination found no anomalies consistent with preimpact failure.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed on August 6, 2012, attributed the pilot's death to injuries sustained in the accident. Toxicology testing by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute was negative for all substances in the screening profile.