Bellanca 7ACA accident near Rosalia, Washington, May 30, 1992
On May 30, 1992 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ACA, registered N9159L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rosalia, Washington (Rosalia 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
FAILURE OF THE TAILWHEEL SPRING BRACKET. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1992 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rosalia, Washington · Rosalia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ACA · all 7ACAs on the register
- Registration
- N9159L · no longer on the register · serial 20-71
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE REPORTED THAT THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS WHEN, DURING THE LAST LANDING, THE AIRPLANE SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND COLLIDED WITH RUNWAY LIGHTS. THE PILOT APPLIED POWER AND THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, THEN SETTLED TO THE GROUND AND COLLIDED WITH ADDITIONAL RUNWAY LIGHTS BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE OWNER REPORTED THAT THE TAILWHEEL SPRING BRACKET BROKE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,192 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1991; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: A-1 Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 2,800 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.