# Accident 19980503008289A: Bbavia 7GCBC, Sebring, FL, May 3, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 3, 1998, 07:45 local time
- Place: Sebring, FL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.4897° N, 81.4506° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.4897&lon=-81.4506&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4ME, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4ME-1999-06-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bellanca 7GCBC (registry code 1220601, https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7gcbc) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BBAVIA 7GCBC
- Reported engine: LYC O320E3D
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 815 total, 210 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98LA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA071) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980503008289A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LOST POWER AT 5000FT. STALLED DOVE INTO TREES. BURNED. (.4) ON MAY 3, 1998, ABOUT 0745 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME A BELLANCA 7-GCBC, N4ME, COLLIDED WITH A TREE DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING NEAR THE RIVER ACRES AIRPORT, SEBRING, FLORIDA.  THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND POST-CRASH FIRE.  THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL), HE MADE A RIGHT TURN, THEN A LEFT TURN.  IT WAS DURING THE LEFT TURN THAT THE PILOT NOTICED MORE RESISTANCE THAN NORMAL WITH THE CONTROL STICK.  THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO BACKFIRE, THEN SUDDENLY STOP.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN COLLIDED WITH A TREE, AT A 45-DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND BURST INTO FLAMES.  THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR BY HITTING IT WITH HIS RIGHT HAND, THEN HE AND THE PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO CLIMB OUT  OF THE AIRCRAFT AND MOVE SAFELY AWAY FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE. ACCORDING TO THE FAA, WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A TURN ABOUT 500 FEET AGL. THEY SAID THE ENGINE STOPPED AND THE AIRCRAFT WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE TREES.  EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FOUND IT CONSUMED BY FIRE.               (-23)EYEWITNESS INDICATES AIRCRAFT WAS IN A TURN APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AGL.  ENGINE STOPPED AND AIRCRAFT WENT STRAIGHT DOWN INTO TREES.  PILOT AND PASSENGER AGRESSED AND AIRCRAFT THEN BURNED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL98LA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA071), May 3, 1998: Bellanca 7-GCBC (N4ME), Sebring, FL, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's improper handling of the airplane which led to an inadvertent stall. A factor was the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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