Bellanca 7ECA N53879

Summary

On 27 December 2003 at about 17:24 local time, a Bellanca 7ECA registered N53879 was involved in an accident near Oxnard, 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.

Date

27 December 2003 at 17:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Oxnard, California, United States

Nearest airport

Oxnard (OXR)

Coordinates

34.2000, -119.2000

Aircraft

Bellanca 7ECA

Registration

N53879

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Paula → Oxnard

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04LA079

Nobody was injured.

the failure of the pin that secured the right rudder pedal to the brake cylinder arm due to improper installation of the pin. Also causal was the manufacturer's confusing maintenance instructions regarding the installation of the right rudder pedal pin and cotter key.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane ground looped during the landing roll. After touchdown, the pilot applied right rudder and the pedal became stuck in a near full forward position. The pilot was then unable to maintain directional control and the airplane turned approximately 270 degrees on the runway and came to rest. A post accident inspection revealed that the pin that secured the right rudder pedal to the brake cylinder arm was missing. There was also evidence of aluminum shavings at the pin attachment point. An identical problem was discovered by the operator on the sister ship to the accident airplane. The pin on the sister ship was changed a few weeks before the accident. The operator intended to examine the rudder pedal pins on the accident airplane in the next scheduled maintenance period. The manufacturer of the airplane indicated that the pin can be installed either outboard or inboard of the cotter key. As depicted in Figure 26 of the Parts Manual, the installation of the pin is depicted as inboard of the cotter key. In this model of the airplane, the battery is located in the forward section of the fuselage and a structural angle brace is installed for support. On the right pedal of the forward seat, the clearance between the pin and the angle brace is reduced with the angle brace in the design location if the pin is installed inboard of the cotter key. If the pin is installed outboard of the cotter key, it allows for greater clearance between the pin and the angle brace.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.