Bellanca 7GCBC N5507K accident near Soldotna, Alaska

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate glidepath during landing, which resulted in an unintended touchdown before the chosen landing area.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, while on a personal cross-country flight and approaching his destination airstrip, smoke in the cockpit and oil on the windscreen limited his forward visibility. He said that, while landing, he inadvertently touched down about 15 yards short of the site. The right wing struck a stand of brush, which pivoted the airplane to the right, and the left wing subsequently struck the ground.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing spar and fuselage.

After the accident, the pilot would not disclose to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) or the Alaska State Troopers where the airplane was located. Thus, neither the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) nor NTSB could examine the airplane after the accident.

The airplane was eventually recovered to Soldotna, Alaska, where an FAA airworthiness aviation safety inspector from the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office examined it. The FAA inspector reported that the accident pilot had since sold the airplane on an "as is where is" basis. The new owner reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane except for the damage sustained in the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC16CA073 for the full record.