Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Delta Junction, Alaska, November 11, 2011
On November 11, 2011 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N88417, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Delta Junction, Alaska. It was a public-use flight (state) under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Ice accretion in the main landing gear wheel brakes, which prevented the main landing gear wheels from rotating on landing, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 2011 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Delta Junction, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N88417 · registry record · serial 123-75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (state) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that she had taxied for an extended period in loose snow at the departure airport. The subsequent flight and accident landing were in sub-freezing temperatures. On touchdown at the destination airstrip, the tires immediately dug into the shallow snow layer, and the airplane nosed down and skidded for several yards before nosing over. The pilot stated that she thought the brakes had frozen and locked the tires prior to landing, probably precipitated by taxiing in the loose snow at the departure airport. Postaccident examination found one brake still locked by ice and one free. No mechanical deficiencies other than the frozen brake were found.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear brakes system › Malfunction
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 822 hours in all; 332 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 775 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 5, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,340 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 23, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alaska Department Of Fish And Game
The flight
- Departed from: 2Z5 Fairbanks AK at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Delta Junction AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; a few clouds at 900 ft
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.63 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PABI, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N88417 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.