Bellanca 7ACA accident near Wasilla, Alaska, March 24, 1990
On March 24, 1990 at about 1:10 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ACA, registered N68596, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska (Philos airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PIC TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO PRECLUDE A STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 1990 · about 1:10 pm local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · Philos
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ACA · all 7ACAs on the register
- Registration
- N68596 · no longer on the register · serial 66-72
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING A ROUTINE CIVIL AIR PATROL (CAP) FLIGHT CHECK. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) WAS THE OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE AND A CAP MEMBER. THE CHECK PILOT WAS ALSO A CAP MEMBER AND A CFI. THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED NORMALLY UNTIL A SIMULATED EMERGENCY LANDING. THE CFI SAID THAT THE PIC MADE AN APPROACH TO A SMALL AIRSTRIP AND ELECTED TO SLIP THE AIRPLANE TO LOSE ALTITUDE. HE SAID THAT THE PIC INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE AND ENTERED A SPIN, COLLIDING WITH TREES BEFORE A RECOVERY COULD BE MADE. THE CFI SAID THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A FLIGHT CONTROL STICK IN THE REAR COCKPIT; HE SAID THAT THE PIC TOLD HIM THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE ONE IN THE AIRPLANE. AN UNDAMAGED SPARE FLIGHT CONTROL STICK WAS FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE ALONG SIDE THE REAR SEAT, AND THE CFI SAID HE WOULD HAVE INSTALLED IT IF HE HAD KNOWN THAT IT WAS THERE. THE CFI SAID THAT NEITHER CAP NOR FAA REGULATIONS REQUIRED DUAL FLIGHT CONTROLS FOR A NON-INSTRUCTIONAL EVALUATION FLIGHT.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,640 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z15 Chugiak AK at 12:00 pm
- Runway 12, 1,200 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 095° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from PAQ, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.