Bellanca 7ACA N68596

Summary

On 24 March 1990 at about 13:10 local time, a Bellanca 7ACA registered N68596 was involved in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 March 1990 at 13:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Philos

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bellanca 7ACA

Registration

N68596

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chugiak → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC90FA042

1 person died.

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

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.