Bellanca 7ECA N8662V

Summary

On 5 August 1988 at about 15:37 local time, a Bellanca 7ECA registered N8662V, operated by West Valley Flying Club, was involved in an accident near Palo Alto, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

5 August 1988 at 15:37

Classification

Accident

Location

Palo Alto, California, United States

Nearest airport

Santa Clara County (PAO)

Coordinates

37.4495, -122.1003

Aircraft

Bellanca 7ECA

Registration

N8662V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

West Valley Flying Club

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX88LA280

1 person had minor injuries.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

ALL OF THE PILOT'S PRIOR FLIGHT TRAINING WAS DONE IN TAILWHEEL TYPE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT HAD MADE FOUR FULL STOP LANDINGS DURING THE PATTERN PRACTICE INSTRUCTIONAL SESSION AND HE SAID THAT HE EXPERIENCED DIRECTIONAL CONTROL PROBLEMS DURING EACH OF THE LANDINGS. NO PROBLEMS WERE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE TAKEOFFS OR TAXI OPERATIONS. ON THE FIFTH LANDING, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL JUST AFTER LOWERING THE TAIL TO THE GROUND AND THE 'WIND PICKED UP THE LEFT WING.' THE PILOT APPLIED POWER TO INITIATE A GO AROUND AND THE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL PROBLEM BECAME WORSE. AFTER LIFTOFF THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED LEFT AND COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL STRUCTURES ON THE AIRPORT BEFORE FINALLY HITTING A LARGE TREE ON AN ADJACENT GOLF COURSE. THE MANAGEMENT OF THE FLYING CLUB STATED THAT THE STUDENT'S INSTRUCTOR WAS ON PROBATION FOR CONSISTENT PROBLEMS IN TURNING OUT WEAK STUDENTS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.