Bellanca 7GCAA accident near Anchorage, Alaska, December 22, 1985
On December 22, 1985 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCAA, registered N9533S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Lakehood Strip 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 1985 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Lakehood Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCAA · all 7GCAAs on the register
- Registration
- N9533S · no longer on the register · serial 73
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE TOUCH AND TO LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET IN THE AIR. THE PILOT WAS TRYING THE SLOW THE AIRCRAFT DOWN FOR A SHORT FIELD LANDING WHEN IT STALLED.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 840 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.