Santa Paula Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Paula, California 93060
Wednesday, December 8, 1993 16:20 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED INSTRUCTION IN TAILWHEEL AIRPLANES AND WAS COMPLETING HIS FIRST SOLO LANDING WITHOUT AN INSTRUCT0R IN THE AIRPLANE. FOLLOWING TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS POOR RUDDER CONTROL LED TO THE AIRPLANE VEERING OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE AIRPORT'S TETRAHEDRON, DAMAGING THE SPAR. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED 7 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION IN THE AIRPLANE, 1 OF WHICH WAS PILOT-IN-COMMAND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the tailwheel airplane following touchdown. The pilot's lack of total experience in the type of airplane was a factor in the accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/8/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1620
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SANTA PAULA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93060
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SANTA PAULA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SZP
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 245
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID CMA
Elevation of weather observation facility 245
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1766
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 10 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1107
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N57404
NTSB Number LAX94LA070
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 940-73
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Nov 16 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 32
Airframe Hours 3879
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLAY PHELPS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 830 E. SANTA MARIA #301
Aircraft Owner City SANTA PAULA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93060
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CLAY PHELPS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 830 E. SANTA MARIA #301
Operator City SANTA PAULA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93060
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 2650
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --