Bellanca 8KCAB N2979T

Summary

On 25 June 1983 at about 17:50 local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB registered N2979T, operated by James F. Suchman, was involved in an accident near Madison, Connecticut, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

25 June 1983 at 17:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Madison, Connecticut, United States

Nearest airport

Griswold (N04)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bellanca 8KCAB

Registration

N2979T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

James F. Suchman

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC83FNE03

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS DURING AN AIRSHOW. WITNESSES SAID IT APPEARED THAT THE PILOT WAS HAVING TROUBLE STAYING IN THE ASSIGNED AREA FOR THE MANEUVERS BECAUSE OF HIGH WINDS. THE WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 20 KTS GUSTING TO 25 KTS FROM 330 DEGREES. THE ACFT WAS NOT ONLY DRIFTING WITH THE WIND BUT THE PILOT WAS ALLOWING EACH MANEUVER TO GO LOWER AND WIDER AS LATER VIEWED ON VIDEO. THE LAST MANEUVER WAS A SNAP ROLL WHICH APPEARED TO BE IMPROPERLY EXECUTED RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ALTITUDE AND IMPACT WITH THE GROUND/WATER. THE ACFT COCKPIT AREA WAS SUBMERGED IN WATER BUT THE PILOT WAS RESCUED. HE SUCCUMBED TO HIS INJURIES, HOWEVER 4 DAYS LATER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.