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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

March 24, 1990 · Bellanca 7ACA · N68596

Wasilla, AK

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
March 24, 1990
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (1 fatality, 1 minor injury)
Location
Wasilla, AK
Aircraft
Bellanca 7ACA
Tail Number
N68596
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
ANC90FA042

The accident occurred during a routine Civil Air Patrol (CAP) flight check. The pilot-in-command (PIC) was the owner of the airplane and a CAP member. The check pilot was also a CAP member and a CFI. The flight proceeded normally until a simulated emergency landing. The CFI said that the PIC made an approach to a small airstrip and elected to slip the airplane to lose altitude. He said that the PIC inadvertently stalled the airplane and entered a spin, colliding with trees before a recovery could be made. The CFI said that he did not have a flight control stick in the rear cockpit; he said that the PIC told him that he didn't have one in the airplane. An undamaged spare flight control stick was found in the wreckage alongside the rear seat, and the CFI said he would have installed it if he had known that it was there. The CFI said that neither CAP nor FAA regulations required dual flight controls for a non-instructional evaluation flight.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE FAILURE OF THE PIC TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO PRECLUDE A STALL.

Full Narrative

THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING A ROUTINE CIVIL AIR PATROL (CAP) FLIGHT CHECK. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) WAS THE OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE AND A CAP MEMBER. THE CHECK PILOT WAS ALSO A CAP MEMBER AND A CFI. THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED NORMALLY UNTIL A SIMULATED EMERGENCY LANDING. THE CFI SAID THAT THE PIC MADE AN APPROACH TO A SMALL AIRSTRIP AND ELECTED TO SLIP THE AIRPLANE TO LOSE ALTITUDE. HE SAID THAT THE PIC INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE AND ENTERED A SPIN, COLLIDING WITH TREES BEFORE A RECOVERY COULD BE MADE. THE CFI SAID THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A FLIGHT CONTROL STICK IN THE REAR COCKPIT; HE SAID THAT THE PIC TOLD HIM THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE ONE IN THE AIRPLANE. AN UNDAMAGED SPARE FLIGHT CONTROL STICK WAS FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE ALONG SIDE THE REAR SEAT, AND THE CFI SAID HE WOULD HAVE INSTALLED IT IF HE HAD KNOWN THAT IT WAS THERE. THE CFI SAID THAT NEITHER CAP NOR FAA REGULATIONS REQUIRED DUAL FLIGHT CONTROLS FOR A NON-INSTRUCTIONAL EVALUATION FLIGHT.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time04:10 AKST
Nearest AirportPHILOS (0nm N)
Runway12
Runway Length1200 ft
Runway Width50 ft
Flight Plan FiledCvfr
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBellanca 7ACA
Tail NumberN68596
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · C-85-12 · Reciprocating · 85
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (1 fatality, 1 minor injury)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 48 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind95° @ 10 kt, gusting 15 kt
Visibility40 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 12000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point30 C / 12 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time22:00

Appendix: Source Data