- Date
- February 16, 1989, 17:55 local (22:55 UTC)
- Place
- Jackson, GA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4126YBellanca 7GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890216002009A
- Case key
- 7877
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper handling of the airplane which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and subsequent collision with terrain. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's decision to perform aerobatic maneuvers at low altitude, and complacency about performing such maneuvers.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4126Y
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 950-76
- Airframe hours
- 812
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph W. Gudger
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 1989 · 9 hours before
- Airport
- NONE
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ATL, 32 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.