Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, July 30, 2010
On July 30, 2010 at about 1:40 am local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N19CK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Fairbanks, Alaska (Fairbanks International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control after encountering a crosswind during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2010 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Fairbanks International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N19CK · registry record · serial 28078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was practicing touch and go landings in his single-engine airplane when he encountered a gust of wind while in the landing flare, which pushed the left wing up. He said he tried to compensate by adding power, but the airplane changed direction and crossed over a grassy area and collided with a parked airplane. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
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 in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Contributed to outcome
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 97 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,782 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 7:45 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 02, 2,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 9:06 pm from FAI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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 N19CK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.