Bellanca 7ECA accident near Hornell, New York, February 29, 2004
On February 29, 2004 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N86715, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hornell, New York (Hornell Municipal 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
An inadvertent encounter with soft snow during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 29, 2004 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hornell, New York · Hornell Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N86715 · registry record · serial 1017-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff from a private snow-covered airstrip, the left ski encountered soft snow. The left ski imbedded into the snow and separated from the spring gear. The increased friction caused the right ski to drag and bend vertically. The airplane was near takeoff speed, and the pilot believed his only choice was to continue the flight. The pilot continued the takeoff, declared an emergency, and flew to a nearby public airport where emergency vehicles were awaiting. The pilot subsequently performed a "dead stick" precautionary landing to an asphalt runway. During the landing, the left wing struts bent and the spring gear was further damaged. The pilot had used the airstrip one day prior to the accident, and did not experience any problems. In addition, prior to the accident takeoff, the pilot taxied along the airstrip for 15 minutes, and did not note any problems with the runway.
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: 277 hours in all; 333 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 312 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Avoca NY at 2:10 pm
- Destination: 4G6 Hornell NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Observation at 9:53 am
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.