Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Gorman, CA
On May 13, 1998, a Bellanca 7GCBC (airplane) was involved in an accident near Gorman, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 13, 1998
- Place
- Gorman, CA
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.860°N, 118.870°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X10125
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 13, 1998, at 1135 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, N11867, was destroyed when it impacted the side of a mountain 2 miles south of Gorman, California. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries and no property damage was incurred. The flight departed Santa Paula, California, approximately 1045 on a pipeline inspection flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed along portions of the route of flight and no flight plan was filed. Two witnesses stated that, about 2 minutes prior to impact, they observed the aircraft flying in a northerly direction at an estimated altitude of 100 to 200 feet agl, but did not observe the aircraft at the time of impact. They also stated that there was a solid overcast above the observed route of flight at an estimated altitude of 500 feet agl. The aircraft was flying upslope in a shallow canyon that terminated in a ridgeline approximately 5 miles ahead of the point of impact. The general orientation of this canyon is 350 degrees magnetic. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with single engine land and instrument airplane ratings. His logbook indicated that he had 14,300 hours total flight time with 12,000 in the Bellanca 7GCBC. His last medical examination was on February 25, 1998, at which time he was issued a second-class medical certificate with a requirement to possess reading glasses while piloting an airplane. His last biennial flight review (BFR) was completed on April 10, 1997, in a Bellanca 7GCBC aircraft. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION Federal Aviation Administrat
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and an inadvertent stall while attempting to reverse direction in low cloud conditions in mountainous terrain
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Browse: California · Bellanca aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
