Bryant Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bridgeport, California 93517
Sunday, September 2, 2001 9:13 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he landed the airplane on runway 16 (4,329 feet long x 60 feet wide). The tail of the aircraft bounced violently and the airplane veered to the left. He applied right rudder and some power; however, the airplane drifted off the east edge of the runway and ground looped when the right main landing gear entered dense brush. The right landing gear was torn off and the right-hand wing contacted the ground during the ensuing ground loop. In his report to the Safety Board, in the section "Mechanical Malfunction Failure," the pilot checked "no." He also reported the wind was calm.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the tail wheel equipped aircraft during landing roll which resulted in a ground loop.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/2/2001
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 913
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Bridgeport
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93517
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Bryant Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O57
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 6468
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 856 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 78
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4412
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 325
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11604
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 2 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1035
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 14 2002 9:31AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Reno, Nevada

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5042D
NTSB Number LAX01LA301
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bellanca
Aircraft Model 7GCAA
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 378-79
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 Mar 21 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 64
Airframe Hours 2089
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Sierra Flyers Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO Box 1528
Aircraft Owner City Minden
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89423
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 No
Departure Airport Code MEV
Departure City Minden
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 820
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code O57
Destination City Bridgeport
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 25 2002 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 4329
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --