MEC&F Expert Engineers : 1 dead when a Bellanca model 7GCBC airplane, N11698, was substantially damage when it impacted terrain after takeoff at the Kadoka Municipal Airport, Kadoka, South Dakota.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

1 dead when a Bellanca model 7GCBC airplane, N11698, was substantially damage when it impacted terrain after takeoff at the Kadoka Municipal Airport, Kadoka, South Dakota.

NTSB Identification: CEN15FA264
 
14 CFR Part 137: Agricultural
 
Accident occurred Monday, June 08, 2015 in Kadoka, SD
 
Aircraft: BELLANCA 7GCBC, registration: N11698
 
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
 
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

 NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On June 8, 2015, about 1615 mountain daylight time, a Bellanca model 7GCBC airplane, N11698, was substantially damage when it impacted terrain after takeoff from runway 30 (2,600 feet by 150 feet, gravel/turf) at the Kadoka Municipal Airport (5V8), Kadoka, South Dakota. The pilot was fatally injured.
 The aircraft was registered to and operated by Semper Fi Aviation, LLC, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an agricultural application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

A witness observed the airplane climbing out, slipping "slightly to the right," when the right wing dropped "sharply." The airplane descended and impacted the ground. A postimpact fire ensued.

The airplane impacted a grass field about 0.12 nautical miles north of the departure end of runway 30 at 5V8. A ground impact mark was located about 20 feet south of the main wreckage. Linear ground impressions emanated toward the south from the ground impact mark consistent with impact of the wing leading edge. The linear marks were oriented consistent with an approximate 270-degree heading on impact. A postimpact fire consumed a majority of the fuselage, as well as the inboard portion of both wings and horizontal stabilizers.

The airplane came to rest on its nose with the fuselage and empennage oriented vertically. The nose was crushed aft approximately in line with the wing leading edges. The wings were in position relative to the fuselage. The engine remained attached to the airframe via the engine mount, which was deformed. The propeller remained attached to the engine. All control surfaces remained attached to the airframe.

The accident airplane was a 1972 Bellanca model 7GCBC airplane, serial number 358-72. The airframe incorporated a single-engine, high wing design configuration, with two-place tandem seating and a conventional (tailwheel) landing gear arrangement. The airplane was powered by a 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320-A2B four cylinder, reciprocating engine. Thrust was provided through a two-bladed, fixed pitch McCauley model 1A175/GMA8040 propeller assembly. Agricultural spray equipment was installed on the accident airplane in October 2014.