No fatalities

Landing Abort Results in Runway Excursion and Wing Damage

Williston, ND, United States

On June 28, 2015, a BELLANCA 7GCBC NO SERIES operated by Thomas T. Ritter was involved in an aviation accident near Williston, ND. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion, and a collision with runway marking signs. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot aborted a landing due to tailwheel shimmy, causing the aircraft to veer off the runway and strike two signs, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and strut.

Incident Overview During the landing roll, the pilot reported experiencing an aggressive shimmy from the tailwheel. In response to this condition, the pilot elected to abort the landing and applied full power to the engine. The aircraft subsequently veered off the runway to the right and impacted two runway marking signs. The collision resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and the associated wing strut. ## Mechanical Condition The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome