Bellanca 17-31ATC accident near Bakersfield, California, March 6, 2009
On March 6, 2009 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 17-31ATC, registered N4134B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bakersfield, California (Bakersfield Meadows). 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 while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2009 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Bakersfield Meadows · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 17-31ATC · all 17-31ATCs on the register
- Registration
- N4134B · registry record · serial 74-31102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The initial touchdown and landing roll were uneventful, and the pilot applied light pressure on the brakes. He felt the initial deceleration, and then thought that the left brake appeared to operate unevenly with the right brake. At the same instant, the right wing rose off the ground, and the right brake was thus ineffective. The airplane swerved hard to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and right brake as the right wing settled back to the ground; however, the airplane departed the runway surface. The left wing collided with a taxiway sign and sustained substantial damage.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 362 hours in all; 294 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 308 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 30, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,908 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 21, 2008; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1E5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Pauma Valley CA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: BFL Bakersfield CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30R, 10,857 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from KBFL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.