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Atlas / NTSB / WPR13CA126

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event WPR13CA126

2013-02-18 Santa Paula, California, United States Airport · SZP None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N50380

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

BELLANCA 7ECA

Year of manufacture

1979 · 34 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES (115 hp)

Seats / Engines

2 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19790125

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A6489E

Registrant of record

C P AVIATION INC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that after touchdown in the tail wheel equipped airplane, it began to veer to the left. The pilot applied right rudder control and right brake action but was unable to keep the airplane on the runway. The airplane departed the side of the runway and subsequently impacted a building wrinkling and bending the left wing and the left elevator. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that after touchdown in the tail wheel-equipped airplane, the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and right brake but was unable to keep the airplane on the runway. The airplane departed the side of the runway and subsequently impacted a building, wrinkling and bending the left wing and the left elevator. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Airport structure-Not specified
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2013_WPR13CA126.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.