Bellanca 14-13-3 accident near Scott City, Kansas, May 16, 2001
On May 16, 2001 at about 1:35 am local time, a Bellanca 14-13-3, registered N6522N, was destroyed in an accident near Scott City, Kansas (Scott City Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The low level roll maneuver the pilot performed on final to runway 17 and his not maintaining clearance from terrain during the maneuver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2001 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Scott City, Kansas · Scott City Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 14-13-3 · all 14-13-3s on the register
- Registration
- N6522N · no longer on the register · serial 1643
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed on impact with terrain and post impact fire following a low level roll maneuver on final. The pilot was fatally injured. A witness stated, "[Another witness] and I were at the airport. We helped [the pilot] get his airplane out of the west hanger. He said he was going to fly around the patch. He stated he would do a roll on final approach to runway 17. We watched him take off and flew around the pattern. On final approach he started to roll the plane. He rolled it about 3/4 the way around and then was diving toward the ground and never could pull it up. We saw a fire ball when it hit." A witness stated, "If he would have had 75 - 100 more feet he would have pulled out of it." FAA inspectors reported no mechanical irregularities were found and control continuity was verified.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,352 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: May 30, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,680.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-150-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 2K9 Scott City KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,999 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 am from GCK, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.