Bellanca 7KCAB accident near Englewood, Colorado, September 19, 1997
On September 19, 1997 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, registered N88314, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the right main landing gear due to multiple fatigue cracks.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1997 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N88314 · registry record · serial 482-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, a normal wheel landing was made. When the airplane touched down, the right main landing gear broke off and struck the leading edge and bottom surface of the right wing. The airplane slid off the right side of the runway and ground looped. Metallurgical examination of the fractured strut disclosed 'fatigue from multiple sites on the bottom surface in the bend radius outboard of (where it attaches to the fuselage).' There was 'no obvious mechanical damage/corrosion damage.' The left landing gear also exhibited 'cracks in the same area and on the inboard side of the clamp.' The landing gear was replaced on January 14, 1984, at a total service time of 1,390 hours. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accrued 3,624 hours, a difference of 2,234 hours.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,800 hours in all; 1,150 in this make and model; 15,100 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,624 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 12, 1997; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APA at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,904 ft by 62 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N88314 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.