- Date
- November 30, 1992, 12:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Pike Road, AL
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7622SBellanca 7ECA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921130048329A
- Case key
- 8679
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 failure of the pilot in command to maintain airspeed during the initial climb, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with the ground. Factors were the inadequate preflight planning and preparation of the pilot in command in that he operated the aircraft in excess of the maximum gross weight.
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.
Analysis
The airline transport pilot (front cockpit) and commercial pilot (rear cockpit) were taking off from a private grass strip. The airstrip owner heard the aircraft engine at full power, then he heard the engine noise resonate followed by the sound of the crash. He compared this sound to that of an aircraft in a spin. The aircraft was found in an upright position in an open pasture adjacent to the runway. Damage to the aircraft was indicative of a left wing low, nose low impact with substantial vertical force. Both wings were broken forward, the left wing spars were broken at the strut attach points as well as other places. It was estimated that the aircraft was being operated at about 92 pounds in excess of the maximum allowable gross weight at the time of the accident. A determination as to which pilot was acting as pilot in command was not made.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7622S
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7ECA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1142-76
- Airframe hours
- 3,320
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dothan Jet Center, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Dothan Jet Center, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 3, 1992 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- SCD · Sylacauga, AL
- Airport
- NONE · Bartlett Ranch, runway 18, 2,500 × 200 ft, grass/turf
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
- 49
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 12,800 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MGM, 15 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.
Other investigations on N7622S · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.