N5507K

Substantial
None

BELLANCA 7GCBCS/N: 1042-78

Accident Details

Date
Thursday, September 22, 2016
NTSB Number
ANC16CA073
Location
Soldotna, AK
Event ID
20161011X45846
Coordinates
60.740276, -152.211669
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate glidepath during landing, which resulted in an unintended touchdown before the chosen landing area.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N5507K
Make
BELLANCA
Serial Number
1042-78
Engine Type
Turbo-shaft
Model / ICAO
7GCBCB407
Aircraft Type
Rotorcraft
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
DILLEY JOSEPH C
Address
PO BOX 2981
Status
Deregistered
City
SOLDOTNA
State / Zip Code
AK 99669-2981
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot reported that while on a personal cross-country flight, and while approaching his destination airstrip, smoke in the cockpit and oil on the windscreen limited his forward visibility. He said that while landing he inadvertently touched down about 15 yards short of the site. The right wing struck a stand of brush, which pivoted the airplane to the right, and the left wing subsequently struck the ground.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing spar and fuselage.

After the accident, the pilot would not disclose to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) or the Alaska State Troopers where the airplane was located. Thus, neither the Federal Aviation Administration nor NTSB could examine the airplane after the accident.

The airplane was eventually recovered to Soldotna, Alaska, where a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness aviation safety inspector from the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office inspected it. The FAA inspector reported that the accident pilot had since sold the airplane on an "as is where is" basis. The new owner reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane besides the damage sustained in the accident.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC16CA073