Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Reno, Nevada, August 16, 2000
On August 16, 2000 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N8638V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Air Sailing Gliderport airport). It was a business 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 fatigue failure and separation of the right main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2000 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Air Sailing Gliderport · 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
- N8638V · registry record · serial 162-75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The right main landing gear collapsed during the landing rollout at a private dirt glider airstrip. The pilot said that he made a 3-point landing after towing a glider aloft. The airplane bounced slightly on touchdown and, on the second ground contact, the pilot heard a snap sound and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane fell down on the right wing and spun around in the dirt. An FAA airworthiness inspector examined the airplane and the runway. The inspector observed the two touchdown markings on the dirt runway and reported that they were about 12-feet apart and not heavy impressions. About 20 feet beyond the second touchdown point, drag markings consistent with a separated main landing gear were found. The inspector reported that the right main landing gear strut separated near the fuselage with a transverse fracture. A majority of the fracture face appeared dirty and rusty, with the remaining portion exhibiting a pattern of beach markings and a chevron-like pattern near the edge opposite the discolored portion. According to the operator, this airplane has been used exclusively for glider tow operations and has accumulated over 4,000 flight hours. The operator and the FAA inspector estimated the total number of landing cycles somewhere between 15,000 and 16,000 for the life of the part.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 15,200 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 71 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 14,700 as pilot in command; 2,400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 18, 2000; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 7,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from RNO, 28 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.
Other NTSB records under N8638V 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.