Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Greeley, Colorado, July 16, 2011
On July 16, 2011 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N731JD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Greeley, Colorado (Greeley-Weld County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
The pilot's loss of directional control during landing, resulting in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2011 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Greeley-Weld County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N731JD · registry record · serial 340-77
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was practicing takeoffs and landings, and during the last landing, the airplane encountered a gust of wind. The tailwheel-equipped airplane veered to the right and the pilot's efforts to correct the veer were unsuccessful, resulting in the airplane exiting the runway. The airplane subsequently impacted a ditch and sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,286 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 23, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,291 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 22, 2011
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Richardson Companies Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KGXY Greeley CO
- Destination: KGXY Greeley CO
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 09, 5,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KGXY
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.
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.