Bellanca 17-30A accident near Sparta, Tennessee, September 6, 2008
On September 6, 2008 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-30A, registered N9792E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Sparta, Tennessee (Upper Cumberland Regional Arpt 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the nose landing gear mount during a normal landing due to an improper weld.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2008 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sparta, Tennessee · Upper Cumberland Regional Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N9792E · registry record · serial 76-30816
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a normal landing, the weld that joins the right side nose landing gear to the engine mount failed, resulting in a partial collapse of the nose landing gear. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control of the airplane. The airplane travelled off the runway and collided with a fence resulting in substantial damage. The engine mount was modified about 18 years prior to the accident. The modification included the addition of vertically oriented tubes welded on both sides of the engine mount near the nose landing gear attach points, inadequate weld repair on the right side resulted in voids or gaps, and no fusion in some areas. Although the engine mount had been removed and inspected in 2003, and extensive maintenance was completed the month before the accident, visual inspection of the suspect area would not have been able to detect the inadequate weld 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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear attach section › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,576 hours in all; 2,565 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 2, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,571 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 2008; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-520-K1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: THV York PA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: SRB Sparta TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 04, 6,005 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from CSV, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA08LA185.