Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Reno, Nevada, May 20, 2001
On May 20, 2001 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N86727, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Reno/Stead 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
Failure of the left main landing gear axle due to an improper weld repair.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2001 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno/Stead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N86727 · registry record · serial 656-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The left main landing gear axle fractured and collapsed during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop and substantial damage to the gearbox. The axle fractured in the vicinity of a weld. An entry in the airplane's logbook indicated that the airplane had sustained a hard landing about 15 years prior to this accident. The entry stated that maintenance technicians inspected the axle using the dye penetrate method. No logbook entry noted that the axle had been changed. The manufacturer's representative inspected the axle and reported that several items did not conform to the type design. The manufacturer's representative concluded that the axle had been cracked and rewelded, and the weld did not conform to specifications. The weld at the base plate had a larger radius than specified, which resulted in a flat surface that was insufficient to allow proper seating of the heads of the bolts that mounted the wheel to the axle. The manufacturer's representative felt the axle failed in the weld heat affected zone due to improper repair.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 306 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 10, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,176 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 2001; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SVE Susanville CA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: 4SD Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from RNO, 11 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.