Summary
On August 09, 2008, a Bellanca 8GCBC (N2975Q) was involved in an incident near Northway, AK. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's inadequate evaluation of weather conditions while landing, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor contributing to the accident was a tailwind.
The pilot was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off airport site, adjacent to a small stream. He said that he approached the site from an upstream direction, and during touchdown the airplane landed hard, bounced, and he aborted the landing. During the second landing, he approached the site from a downstream direction, and during the landing roll, he discovered that the airplane's tailwheel was missing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. In his written report to the NTSB the pilot noted that after landing, he discovered that there was a slight breeze from an upstream direction. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC08CA103. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N2975Q.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's inadequate evaluation of weather conditions while landing, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor contributing to the accident was a tailwind.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off airport site, adjacent to a small stream. He said that he approached the site from an upstream direction, and during touchdown the airplane landed hard, bounced, and he aborted the landing. During the second landing, he approached the site from a downstream direction, and during the landing roll, he discovered that the airplane's tailwheel was missing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. In his written report to the NTSB the pilot noted that after landing, he discovered that there was a slight breeze from an upstream direction. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. In the recommendation part of his written report, the pilot noted that the accident might have been prevented if he had taken more time to verify runway and wind conditions before landing, and operated the airplane at a lower gross weight.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC08CA103