- Date
- May 14, 1988, 11:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Sutcliffe, NV
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N57415Bellanca 7GCAA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 10, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880514017649A
- Case key
- 40817
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 aircraft was observed to execute several low passes over witnesses along the shoreline of a lake. During one of the passes and while tracking northwest, the pilot dropped a package of life preservers from an estimated altitude of 75 feet AGL and while flying at approximately 50-60 mph. Immediately thereafter the pilot executed a left turn. During the turn the aircraft stalled and descent to ground impact followed. The witness reported winds of 7-10 mph out of the west at the time of the accident and local law enforcement personnel reported northerly winds at 15-20 mph and gusting. The density altitude was calculated to be approximately 5500 feet MSL. The pilot's flt time was obtained from his FAA medical records.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N57415
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCAA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 261-73
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David M. Scolari
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 16, 1987
- Departed
- 4SD · Reno, NV
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 375 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RNO, 26 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.