Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Chugiak, Alaska, June 20, 2008
On June 20, 2008 at about 4:30 am local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N1163E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Chugiak, Alaska (Birchwood airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's lack of remedial action to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a collision with a berm. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, and his lack of tailwheel experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 2008 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Chugiak, Alaska · Birchwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N1163E · registry record · serial 987-77
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, seated in the front seat of a tailwheel and tundra tire-equipped airplane, landed on the edge of an asphalt portion of the runway, and then rolled onto a gravel portion of the runway. At that time, the airplane immediately veered about 45 degrees to the left. He applied right rudder and right aileron, but no directional correction occurred. The flight instructor reported that as the pilot was applying right aileron control input, he put hand pressure on the rear control stick to the right, but he noted that the pilot already had full right control deflection. The pilot applied full power to abort the landing, but then decided to pull the engine power to idle. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and collided with a berm. The pilot did not have a tailwheel endorsement. A certificated flight instructor who had a tailwheel endorsement, was seated in the rear seat of the airplane, but was unable to gain control of the airplane before it struck the berm.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incomplete action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,121 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1,047 as pilot in command; 497 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 19, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 58 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 21 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 19, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-0320A2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PABV Chugiak AK at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19L, 1,802 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 11:36 pm from PABV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N1163E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC08LA082.