# NTSB CEN26LA209: Bellanca 7GCBC, N90932, Jonesboro, AR, May 30, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 30, 2026, 18:27 local (23:27 UTC) - Place: Jonesboro, AR - Coordinates: 35.72463, -90.84031 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7246&lon=-90.8403&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 20, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Little Rock FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 203093 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA209 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203093/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203093 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA209 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to practice slow flight maneuvers at an altitude that precluded a recovery from the inadvertent stall after the turbulence encounter. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 92 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Related operating info (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bellanca 7GCBC, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1220601), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that while practicing slow flight the airplane encountered “severe turbulence” during a turn and entered an aerodynamic stall/spin. Although he was able to recover from the spin, the airplane had insufficient altitude remaining to facilitate a full recovery to level flight before it impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N90932](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N90932), registered now, S/N 432-73, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 7GCBC - Registry model: [Bellanca 7GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7gcbc) (registry code 1220601) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 432-73 - Year built: 1973 - Airframe hours: 5982 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Hall Air Inc - Registered owner: Hall Air Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 25, 2025, 96 hours before - Departed: 5AR7, Weiner, AR - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 17; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 26, 2025; seat: front; flight hours: 114.1 total, 87.4 in this make and model, 55.9 in the last 90 days, 27.4 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: KJBR, 12 nm away - METAR: KJBR 302253Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 27/22 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP120 T02720217 $ ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20260530009529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260530009529A), May 30, 2026: Bellanca 7GCBC, Jonesboro, AR, Destroyed. A solo student pilot took off from a private landing strip near Jonesboro, Arkansas, to practice for an upcoming check ride, flying over agricultural fields.… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203093. 5.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 5.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20646474&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA209%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Mor - FAA inspector (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20667746&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA209%20FAA%20MOR_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 416 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20645158&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA209%20photo%20array-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.