Bellanca 1731A accident near Hobbs, New Mexico, April 13, 2001
On April 13, 2001 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Bellanca 1731A, registered N93737, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hobbs, New Mexico (Lea County Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during flare/landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2001 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Hobbs, New Mexico · Lea County Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 1731A
- Registration
- N93737 · no longer on the register · serial 73-32-129
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the moment of flare/touchdown on runway 21, the airplane settled onto its left main landing gear. The right wing rose up and the airplane departed the left side of the runway just past taxiway "B." The pilot attempted a go-around and the airplane became airborne momentarily. He said, "the more I added right rudder the more it went left." The airplane turned to the left, settled down and skidded across runway 30. The pilot stated that during the attempted go-around, the airplane was unresponsive and would not "climb or accelerate." An FAA inspector, who examined the wreckage and interviewed the pilot, stated that when the pilot seated himself in the airplane to show the inspector what had happened, the inspector noticed that, "the pilot seated himself in the left seat and was sitting at a left angle and as he placed his feet up to the rudder pedals, his right foot was placed on the co-pilot's left rudder pedal."
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
- Flight time: 8,398 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 8,250 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 3, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,510 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 2001; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LBB Lobbock TX at 5:45 pm
- Destination: HOB Hobbs NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 210, 7,398 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 100 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 12:52 pm from KHOB
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.