No fatalities

21 Jun 2017: BELLANCA 7GCBC NO SERIES — Edgewood, NM

Edgewood, NM, United States

On 21 Jun 2017, a BELLANCA 7GCBC NO SERIES was involved in an aviation accident near Edgewood, NM. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to take off with a gusting tailwind, which resulted in a loss of pitch control during the initial climb and a subsequent hard landing and loss of 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 takeoff in gusting wind and high density altitude, the airplane lifted off abruptly, the pilot aborted the climb, and after a hard landing, directional control was lost, resulting in a runway excursion and substantial damage.

Accident Details

According to the pilot's report, approximately 8 seconds into the takeoff roll under gusting wind conditions and high density altitude, the airplane unexpectedly lifted off the runway at a steep angle of attack. The pilot immediately reduced engine power to idle to abort the initial climb. The airplane then settled back onto the runway, landing hard. During the landing roll, the pilot lost directional control, causing the airplane to veer off the runway and come to rest in the dirt alongside the runway.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Weather Conditions

An automated weather observation station located 10 nautical miles southeast of the accident airport, reporting 5 minutes before the accident, indicated wind from 150° at 16 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The pilot reported that he observed wind from 300° at 8 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot noted that the takeoff was conducted on runway 9 and that the density altitude at the departure airport was 10,000 feet.

Damage

The fuselage, left wing, and aileron sustained substantial damage.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotPitch control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedDecision related to condition