# NTSB ERA23LA353: Bellanca 7ECA, N8679V, Hopkinsville, KY, August 28, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 28, 2023, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place: Hopkinsville, KY
- Coordinates: 36.856972, -87.455083 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8570&lon=-87.4551&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Aircraft wake turb encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 192964
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA353
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192964/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192964
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA353

## Probable cause

The pilot’s inadvertent encounter with helicopter wake turbulence during initial climb, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Turbulence: wake turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7ECA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md?model=1220460), [All aircraft, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 7ECA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=1220460), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Initial climb: Aircraft wake turb encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 7ECA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361/sequence.md?model=1220460), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot stated that, before departing in his tailwheel-equipped airplane, a U.S. Army CH-47 heavy-lift helicopter departed and proceeded upwind. When the helicopter was established on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot initiated his takeoff. At 40 ft above ground level in the initial climb, the airplane “hit the helicopter’s rotor wash” which rolled the airplane “about 135 degrees to its right.” The pilot was able to level the wings before the airplane touched down in low brush to the right of the runway and came to rest near the airport boundary fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the main landing gear support structure and the pilot deplaned uninjured. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8679V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8679V-2024-01-13), registration cancelled 2024-01-13, S/N 1093-75, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELLANCA 7ECA
- Registry model: [Bellanca 7ECA](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7eca) (registry code 1220460) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1093-75
- Year built: 1975
- Airframe hours: 3506
- Engines: Lycoming O-235-C1 115 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Presley Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 24, 2022, 42 hours before
- Destination: UCY, Union City, TN
- Airport: HVC, Hopkinsville-Christian County, runway 08, 5,505 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, powered-lift; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: front; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,812 total, 36 in this make and model, 1,823 as pilot in command, 117 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 10° at 8 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observed at: KHVC
- METAR: METAR KHVC 281615Z AUTO 01008G14KT 10SM FEW026 26/21 A2994 RMK AO2=

## 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 20230828014159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230828014159A), Aug 28, 2023: Bellanca 7ECA, Hopkinsville, KY, Substantial damage. On August 28th at 12:15 CST one of two us army CH-47 a synopsis of the pilot's statement indicates while conducting right traffic patterns on runway 08 took…

## Other investigations on N8679V (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 FTW81DPD23](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW81DPD23), May 17, 1981: Bellanca 7ECA (N8679V), Electra, TX, substantial damage

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 21, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192964. 4.0 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16181372&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Stephenson%206120%20Nonsecure%20Copiable_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16180375&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Stephenson%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Witness statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 133 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16181399&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N8679V%20Incident_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16181227&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf
- Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 162 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16191273&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage%2023LA353_Redacted-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.

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