Bellanca 14-13-2 accident near Santa Rosa, California, September 22, 1998
On September 22, 1998 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 14-13-2, registered N74457, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Rosa, California (Santa Rosa 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
The pilot's inadequate visual lookout during taxiing operations. A factor was the pilot's diverted attention while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1998 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Rosa, California · Santa Rosa
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 14-13-2 · all 14-13-2s on the register
- Registration
- N74457 · no longer on the register · serial 1570
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had just landed his airplane under daylight conditions and was taxiing to the parking area when the airplane struck an unoccupied truck, which was parked in a non-movement area of the airport. The pilot stated that there were no yellow center line markings painted on the taxiway. He said that his attention was directed at the hangar edges and he did not see the truck, which was parked, on the right side of the taxiway. The FAA measured the taxiway and noted that it was more than 60 feet wide, and the truck occupied less than 10 feet on the extreme right side of the taxiway.
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: 1,541 hours in all; 1,287 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,312 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Franklin 6A4-165-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 060 Cloverdale CA at 10:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.