Bellanca 14-13-3 accident near Caliente, CA
On May 20, 2005, a Bellanca 14-13-3 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Caliente, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 20, 2005
- Place
- Caliente, CA
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 14-13-3 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.289°N, 118.594°W
- NTSB ID
- 20050601X00700
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 20, 2005, at an undetermined time between 1030 and 1500 Pacific daylight time a Bellanca 14-13-3, N6511N, impacted a hilltop while cruising about 1.7 nautical miles (nm) east of Caliente, California. The airplane was destroyed. The two occupants on board were fatally injured, and they both held commercial pilot certificates. The airplane was owned and operated by one of the pilots. The second pilot was also an aviation mechanic. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity of the accident site. The personal flight was performed under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilots' intended destination was Tehachapi, California, about 75 nm southeast of Exeter, California. The flight originated from the Thunderhawk Field, Exeter, at an undetermined time between 1015 and 1315. (The departure and accident times listed in the National Transportation Safety Board's Accident Data Management System (ADMS) form are estimated.) A certified flight instructor (CFI) reported to the Safety Board investigator that she co-owned the Exeter Airport, which was uncontrolled. On May 20, at 1015, she had observed the airplane at Exeter, and she spoke with its owner. Thereafter, she took off for a flight to San Diego. The CFI stated that the accident airplane was no longer at Exeter upon her return at 1315. According to the CFI, since October 24, 2004, the airplane had been located at Exeter for repairs resulting from the pilot-owner's gear up landing at the airport. The CFI stated the mishap occurred when the pilot-owne
Probable cause
The pilot's inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions and failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance, which resulted in controlled flight into the terrain. Contributing factors were the pilots' delayed decision to reverse course, the low clouds which obscured the rising terrain.
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Browse: California · Bellanca aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
