- Date
- June 18, 1987, 12:58 local (17:58 UTC)
- Place
- Panama City, FL
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7620SBellanca 8GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870618020589A
- Case key
- 31765
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 purpose of the flt was to check out a new plt in banner towing operations. The first flt had been completed, the banner dropped & the second banner was engaged. Witnesses saw the acft make the steep climb after pick-up normally associated with banner towing. The acft was seen to slow, wobble, & fall off to the right in a spin from about 300 ft. one witness stated that the spin was stopped just prior to impact. A loose 1 gallon thermos type container was found on the floor of the rear cockpit. It was not positively determined whether or not the container had any bearing on the accident, creating an interference or distraction. An exam of the acft & eng revealed no evidence of any preimpact malfunction or failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7620S
- Reported as
- Bellanca 8GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 206-76
- Airframe hours
- 1,813
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C2E, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Walker Aviation Services,Inc.
- Registered owner
- Henry R. Nelson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 2, 1986 · 69 hours before
- Departed
- PFN
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,962 total · 2,916 in this make and model · 4,707 as pilot in command · 159 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PFN, 1 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.