Bellanca 7GCBC N36236
17 May 1994 · Lewisburg, West Virginia, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 17 May 1994 at about 19:30 local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC registered N36236 was involved in an accident near Lewisburg, West Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 19:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Lewisburg, West Virginia, United States
- Coordinates
- 37.8001, -80.4305
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC
- Registration
- N36236
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Charleston
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC94LA083
People
2 people had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT DECISION, INADVERTENT VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE WHICH RESULTED IN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES. A FACTOR WAS INADEQUATE ALTITUDE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE DECIDED TO LEAVE ON THE FLIGHT A DAY EARLIER, BECAUSE OF FORECASTED WEATHER OVER HIS INTENDED ROUTE OF FLIGHT, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT. APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS AFTER THE FLIGHT STARTED, THE PILOT SAID HE ENCOUNTERED FOG, AND ELECTED TO LAND, REFUEL, AND WAIT FOR THE WEATHER TO CLEAR. AFTER WAITING APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 HOURS, HE TOOK OFF, AND AGAIN ENCOUNTERED FOG. HE ELECTED TO TURN BACK AND LAND AT THE SAME AIRPORT AGAIN. THIS TIME HE WAITED SEVERAL HOURS ON THE GROUND, CHECKED WEATHER AND TOOK OFF AGAIN. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF FLIGHT HE AGAIN ENCOUNTERED FOG. THE PILOT WROTE IN HIS STATEMENT, '...TOLD (PASSENGER) LOOKS LIKE WEATHER IS GETTING [BAD]...[AND] WE WERE RETURNING TO [HOME AIRPORT]...I MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN, WAS SETTING MY LORAN...WHEN ENCOUNTERED FOG, NEXT THING I SAW WAS TREES....' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TREES AND CAME TO REST WITH ENGINE RESTING ON A ROCK AND THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bellanca 7 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Jan 1994 | Bellanca 7GCBC | New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States | Air Repair | Serious injuries | - |
| 24 Aug 1994 | Bellanca 7EAC | Alexandria, Minnesota, United States | Alexandria Aero Partners | No injuries | - |
| 4 Mar 1994 | Bellanca 7ECA | Concord, California, United States | Buchanan Flying Club | No injuries | - |
| 23 Apr 1994 | Bellanca 7GCAA | Azle, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 6 Aug 1994 | Bellanca 7GCBC | Morris, Pennsylvania, United States | Tinkham, Bradford L. | No injuries | - |
| 5 Sep 1994 | Bellanca 7GCBC | Elbert, Colorado, United States | Soar Black Forest | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-28R-201T | Lockwood, West Virginia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 29 Jun 1994 | Beechcraft 58TC | St Marys, West Virginia, United States | Phoenix Aviation | Fatal | 3 |
| 4 Apr 1994 | Talago THUNDERGULL JT2 | Clarksburg, West Virginia, United States | Stanley Talago | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 Apr 1994 | Cessna 172N | Clarksburg, West Virginia, United States | Southern Ohio Aviation, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 21 Dec 1994 | Cessna 150H | Wheeling, West Virginia, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Aug 1994 | Cessna 210N | Martinsburg, West Virginia, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |