Bellanca 17-30A N4109B

Summary

On 13 January 1996 at about 20:30 local time, a Bellanca 17-30A registered N4109B was involved in an accident near Belen, New Mexico, United States. 2 people were 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.

Date

13 January 1996 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Belen, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Alexander Field (E80)

Coordinates

34.6490, -106.7703

Aircraft

Bellanca 17-30A

Registration

N4109B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW96LA106

Nobody was injured.

previous damage, looseness of the main landing gear, and inadequate maintenance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had purchased the airplane on 12/14/95 and had flown it about 23 hours since that date. During that time, he noted a transient instability in directional control during landing roll. During a landing on 1/13/96, he could not maintain directional control after touchdown, and the aircraft departed the side of the runway. No damage was found as a result of the runway departure; however, damage to the wing structure was found adjacent to the left main landing gear attach point. Also, the right main landing gear was found loose in its mounts, and its torque link was improperly shimmed. The right main landing gear problems could be found only by jacking the aircraft with the gear hanging free. There was evidence that over an undetermined period of time, the landing gear had been loose, and the resultant damage occurred.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.