Friday, May 20, 2022

Bellanca 14-19-2 Cruisemaster, N7655B: Accident occurred May 19, 2022 at Gainesville Municipal Airport (KGLE), Cooke County, Texas

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; North Texas


Location: Gainesville, Texas
Accident Number: CEN22LA207
Date and Time: May 19, 2022, 16:25 Local
Registration: N7655B
Aircraft: Bellanca 14-19-2 
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Bellanca
Registration: N7655B
Model/Series: 14-19-2 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:
Operator: 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site:
Condition of Light:
Observation Facility, Elevation: 
Observation Time:
Distance from Accident Site: Temperature/Dew Point:
Lowest Cloud Condition: 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility:
Altimeter Setting: 
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point:
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 33.6259,-97.1333 (est)

Aircraft landed landing gear up and slid down runway, aircraft consumed by fire. 

Date: 19-MAY-22
Time: 21:48:00Z
Regis#: N7655B
Aircraft Make: BELLANCA
Aircraft Model: 14
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: SUBSTANTIAL
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: GAINESVILLE
State: TEXAS

5 comments:

  1. "No injuries were reported after a plane caught fire Thursday at the Gainesville Municipal Airport. City officials said a 1957 Bellanca Single-Engine aircraft crashed when the pilot failed to extend the landing gear during his approach to Runway 18 around 4:30 p.m.. The aircraft subsequently caught fire on the runway, according the city’s press release." @ gainesvilleregister
    Wooden wings and a steel frame fuselage and tail surfaces, all covered with fabric.104 of these aircraft were produced between 1957 and 1958. sad loss.l

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  2. The 14-19 series and the early Vikings had a fuel strainer configuration that made the strainer itself the low point of the airplane in a gear up landing. Most have long since been modified, but perhaps not this one. I'm glad the pilot was able to get out of the airplane, but saddened to see a fine wood wing Bellanca reduced to ash.

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    Replies
    1. What you called the fuel strainer was located on the firewall well above the lowest point on the firewall. These aircraft have Three fuel tanks, all have DRAINS at the lowest point and cannot be relocated.

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  3. This plane lived just a few hangars away from me…crazy. My plane has been in maintenance so I’ve not been to the airport for a few weeks. Hits close to home.

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  4. Aircraft was absolutely gorgeous. Pilots who destroy things like this need long term certificate removal and retraining, along with more constant certification reviews. Another elderly pilot destroying our classic fleet.

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