Belle Plaine Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Belle Plaine, Minnesota 56011
Monday, July 15, 1996 12:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was on downwind for landing on runway 35, when he noticed a two to three story house 'just off the end of the runway.' He shortened his downwind leg which 'caused a fairly high initial final approach.... This required a slip to the runway. Since excessive airspeed was built up, the aircraft continued to float.' He decided to go-around and applied full power; however, the landing gear impacted tall grass at the departure end of the runway, then a ravine.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's misjudgment of the distance and speed during the landing, and his delay in initiating a go-around. Factors relating to the accident were: the tall grass and ravine at the end of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1996
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BELLE PLAINE
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56011
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BELLE PLAINE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7Y7
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 955
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1169
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 16 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5026K
NTSB Number CHI96LA242
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bellanca
Aircraft Model 7ECA
Aircraft Series Identifier 7ECA
Aircraft Serial Number 1278-78
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 22 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 808
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS F. TISCHIDA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 222 E. DOUGLAS STREET
Aircraft Owner City ST. PAUL
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55075
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code D97
Departure City ST PAUL
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 7Y7
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Go-around (VFR)
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 2530
Runway Width 215
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --