Bellanca 7ECA N57404
9 December 1993 · Santa Paula, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 9 December 1993 at about 00:20 local time, a Bellanca 7ECA registered N57404, operated by Clay Phelps, was involved in an accident near Santa Paula, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 00:20
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Santa Paula, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Santa Paula (SZP)
- Coordinates
- 34.3997, -119.0710
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA
- Registration
- N57404
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Clay Phelps
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX94LA070
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
A failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the tailwheel airplane following touchdown. The pilot's lack of total experience in the type of airplane was a factor in the accident.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED INSTRUCTION IN TAILWHEEL AIRPLANES AND WAS COMPLETING HIS FIRST SOLO LANDING WITHOUT AN INSTRUCT0R IN THE AIRPLANE. FOLLOWING TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS POOR RUDDER CONTROL LED TO THE AIRPLANE VEERING OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE AIRPORT'S TETRAHEDRON, DAMAGING THE SPAR. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED 7 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION IN THE AIRPLANE, 1 OF WHICH WAS PILOT-IN-COMMAND.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bellanca 7 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 May 1993 | Bellanca 7KCAB | Shirley, New York, United States | Mid Island Air Service Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Sep 1993 | Bellanca 7GCBC | Mattawamkeag, Maine, United States | JAY R. McLaughlin | Minor injuries | - |
| 23 Sep 1993 | Bellanca 7GCBC | Wauseon, Ohio, United States | NED L. Bechtel | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 1993 | Bellanca 7GCBC | Soldotna, Alaska, United States | Smith, Theodore A. | No injuries | - |
| 26 Aug 1993 | Bellanca 7GCBC | Beaver Creek, Alaska, United States | Gossen, Christopher J. | Minor injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 1993 | Bellanca 7ECA | Ashland, New Hampshire, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jul 1993 | Cessna 310H | Lancaster, California, United States | Yehiem Konski | Fatal | 6 |
| 14 Nov 1993 | Cessna 182 | Colusa, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 1993 | Cessna 172P | Sun City, California, United States | Hiser Helicopters, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 31 Jul 1993 | Robinson R44 | El Monte, California, United States | Benjamin F. Venti, SR. | Fatal | 3 |
| 17 Nov 1993 | Piper PA-38-112 | Fresno, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jan 1993 | Beechcraft A35 | Tulare, California, United States | Rent and Lease Programs | Fatal | 2 |