Bellanca 7GCBC N88399

Summary

On 29 May 2010 at about 18:31 local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC registered N88399 was involved in an accident near Watertown, South Dakota, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 May 2010 at 18:31

Classification

Accident

Location

Watertown, South Dakota, United States

Nearest airport

Watertown Regional (ATY)

Coordinates

44.9139, -97.1547

Aircraft

Bellanca 7GCBC

Registration

N88399

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Castlewood → Castlewood

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN10LA275

2 people died.

The pilot's loss of airplane control while conducting aerobatic, low-altitude maneuvers. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairmant due to alcohol.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness reported that he initially thought the pilot was inbound for landing. However, the airplane proceeded southwest of the airport and began making erratic banks and turns. He estimated that the airplane’s bank angles reached 80 to 90 degrees at times. Just prior to the accident, the pilot appeared to make a steep turn akin to an agriculture-type operation. He noted that the airplane pitched up, turned to the right, and preceded straight down, impacting the ground. Another witness reported that the airplane was making erratic maneuvers about 300 to 500 feet above ground level. The airplane impacted an open field about 0.5 mile southwest of the airport. A postaccident examination of the engine and airframe did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. The toxicology testing report stated that the pilot's blood alcohol level was 144 mg/dL (0.144 percent by weight). A review of the pilot's background revealed two prior convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol. These were reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the pilot's medical certificate application. The FAA subsequently required the pilot to provide court and driving records, in addition to an evaluation by a certified substance abuse specialist in support of his application. The pilot further submitted drug screen results that indicated a negative finding. The FAA subsequently affirmed the pilot's eligibility for a third-class medical certificate and cautioned the pilot that further alcohol related offenses may result in denial of medical certification. Regulations prohibit any person from piloting an aircraft while having a blood alcohol level greater than 0.04 by weight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.