- Date
- April 19, 1985, 10:10 local (15:10 UTC)
- Place
- Clearwater, FL
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5054YBellanca 8KCAB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850419013499A
- Case key
- 31240
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 pilot was observed doing low level aerobatics. While diving inverted over the water, he attempted to perform an outside loop. The acft impacted the water inverted after the stall onset. Interviews with fellow pilots disclosed that the pilot had been recently bragging about a new aerobatic maneuver, where he pulled minus 4 gs within 10 ft of the water. No parachutes were found on board the acft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5054Y
- Reported as
- Bellanca 8KCAB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 537-79
- Airframe hours
- 7,501
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-320-E1B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Suncoast Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 4, 1985 · 238 hours before
- Departed
- CLW
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,560 total · 10 in this make and model · 1,360 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PIE, 14 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.