Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Elephant Lake, Alaska, June 10, 1992
On June 10, 1992 at about 5:30 am local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N101TH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elephant Lake, Alaska. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE DUAL STUDENT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION. A FACTOR WAS THE TAILWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 1992 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Elephant Lake, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N101TH · registry record · serial 293-79
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS LANDING WITH A RIGHT QUARTERING TAILWIND AND THE INSTRUCTOR TOLD THE NON SEA PLANE RATED PILOT TO HOLD THE RIGHT WING DOWN INTO THE WIND. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT. THE DUAL STUDENT APPLIED LEFT RUDDER, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO VEER TO THE RIGHT. HE THEN APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SKID SIDEWAYS AND THEN THE LEFT FLOAT COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OVER TO THE LEFT AND SANK.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,800 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,077 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1992; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,365 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Scout Lake AK at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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 ANC92LA088.