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Atlas / NTSB / FTW94LA024

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event FTW94LA024

1993-11-03 PAGOSA SPRINGS, Colorado, United States Airport · 2V1 None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N9516E

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

BELLANCA 17-31ATC

Year of manufacture

1976 · 17 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING TI0-540 SER (310 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19761013

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S AD3B8D

Registrant of record

SABO JOHN D

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING LANDING ROLL.

Factual narrative

On November 3, 1993, at 1446 mountain standard time, a Bellanca BL17-31ATC, N9516E, was substantially damaged when the right main landing gear collapsed after the airplane departed the side of the runway at Stevens Field, Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The pilot and his passenger were not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for this personal flight which departed from Plainview, Texas, at 1246 central standard time. According to the pilot, the left brake locked during the landing roll and the aircraft went off the left side of the runway. The pilot said that during this excursion, the right main landing gear collapsed and the nose gear was distorted. The airframe sustained damage around the right main gear mount. Examination of the aircraft by an Federal Aviation Administration inspector provided no evidence of a brake system malfunction. Examination of the runway provided witness marks of skidding of both main tires and scrubbing of the nose tire in a curve to the left. DURING LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT PROVIDED NO EVIDENCE OF BRAKE OR STEERING MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1993_FTW94LA024.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.