Bellanca 7ECA accident near North Creek, New York, July 3, 2004
On July 3, 2004 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N57430, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Creek, New York (Bennetta Airport). 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. A factor in this accident was the pilot's lack of experience in tail-wheeled airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2004 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- North Creek, New York · Bennetta Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N57430 · registry record · serial 944-73
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing the tail-wheeled airplane to the northwest, on a 3,000-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, turf runway. After touchdown, the airplane veered to the right, and it's right wingtip impacted a tree. The pilot reported that the winds were calm, and he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions. The pilot had accumulated about 122 hours of total flight experience, which included 11 hours in tail-wheel airplanes. He received an endorsement to operate tail-wheel airplanes 9 days prior to the accident.
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: 124 hours in all; 11 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,470 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 29, 2003; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Johnstown NY at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 0NY0 North Creek NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway NW, 3,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from GFL, 31 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.
Other NTSB records under N57430 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.