No fatalities

12 Apr 2017: BELLANCA 8GCBC NO SERIES — Willow, AK

Willow, AK, United States

On 12 Apr 2017, a BELLANCA 8GCBC NO SERIES was involved in an aviation accident near Willow, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The airplane's left main ski's collision with a submerged frozen sand berm. 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

A ski-equipped tailwheel airplane nosed over after the left ski struck a submerged frozen sand berm during landing roll on a snow-covered sand bar, causing substantial damage.

Accident Details

During the landing roll on a snow-covered sand bar, a ski-equipped tailwheel airplane was traveling at an estimated 15-20 miles per hour when the left ski impacted a submerged frozen sand berm. The pilot reported that the left ski broke upon impact, causing the airplane to nosed over.

Aircraft Damage

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and the left wing. No other damage was specified in the report.

Pilot's Report

The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The accident sequence was solely attributed to the encounter with the hidden frozen sand berm.

Contributing factors

Causes

Effect on equipment

Other contributing factors

Pitch control — Not attained/maintained