Bellanca 7KCAB accident near Chiloquin, Oregon, August 27, 2005
On August 27, 2005 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, registered N11661, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chiloquin, Oregon (Chiloquin State 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 failure of the left chain link which permits the pilot to control the tailwheel, and the subsequent inability of the pilot to control the airplane during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2005 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chiloquin, Oregon · Chiloquin State Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N11661 · no longer on the register · serial 315-72
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said immediately after touchdown on runway 35, the tailwheel started oscillating. It continued to oscillate on rollout until the airplane's speed dropped to about 20 mph when suddenly the airplane veered to the right. Subsequently the left main landing gear collapsed, bending the outboard 5 to 6 feet of the wing up. He said that inspection of the tailwheel assembly revealed that the left chain to the tailwheel steering assembly had failed.
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: 695 hours in all; 620 in this make and model; 635 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2005; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LMT Klamath Falls OR at 6:55 pm
- Destination: 2S7 Chiloquin OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,735 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from LMT, 25 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.