Bellanca 7GCAA accident near Bridgeport, California, September 2, 2001
On September 2, 2001 at about 4:13 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCAA, registered N5042D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bridgeport, California (Bryant Field). It was a personal 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
The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the tail wheel equipped aircraft during landing roll which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 2001 · about 4:13 pm local time
- Place
- Bridgeport, California · Bryant Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCAA · all 7GCAAs on the register
- Registration
- N5042D · registry record · serial 378-79
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he landed the airplane on runway 16 (4,329 feet long x 60 feet wide). The tail of the aircraft bounced violently and the airplane veered to the left. He applied right rudder and some power; however, the airplane drifted off the east edge of the runway and ground looped when the right main landing gear entered dense brush. The right landing gear was torn off and the right-hand wing contacted the ground during the ensuing ground loop. In his report to the Safety Board, in the section "Mechanical Malfunction Failure," the pilot checked "no." He also reported the wind was calm.
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: 107 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 69 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 30, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,089 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 2001; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEV Minden NV at 3:20 pm
- Destination: O57 Bridgeport CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,329 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from RNO, 325 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.