Bellanca 8GCBC N8638V

Summary

On 16 August 2000 at about 16:35 local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC registered N8638V was involved in an accident near Reno, Nevada, 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.

Date

16 August 2000 at 16:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Reno, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Air Sailing Gliderport

Coordinates

39.4893, -119.8401

Aircraft

Bellanca 8GCBC

Registration

N8638V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX00LA303

Nobody was injured.

The fatigue failure and separation of the right main landing gear.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The right main landing gear collapsed during the landing rollout at a private dirt glider airstrip. The pilot said that he made a 3-point landing after towing a glider aloft. The airplane bounced slightly on touchdown and, on the second ground contact, the pilot heard a snap sound and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane fell down on the right wing and spun around in the dirt. An FAA airworthiness inspector examined the airplane and the runway. The inspector observed the two touchdown markings on the dirt runway and reported that they were about 12-feet apart and not heavy impressions. About 20 feet beyond the second touchdown point, drag markings consistent with a separated main landing gear were found. The inspector reported that the right main landing gear strut separated near the fuselage with a transverse fracture. A majority of the fracture face appeared dirty and rusty, with the remaining portion exhibiting a pattern of beach markings and a chevron-like pattern near the edge opposite the discolored portion. According to the operator, this airplane has been used exclusively for glider tow operations and has accumulated over 4,000 flight hours. The operator and the FAA inspector estimated the total number of landing cycles somewhere between 15,000 and 16,000 for the life of the part.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.