Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Galbraith Lake, Alaska, August 21, 1993
On August 21, 1993 at about 2:00 am local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N8575V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Galbraith Lake, Alaska. It was a personal 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 PILOTS IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION. A FACTOR WAS THE UNFAVORABLE WIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1993 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Galbraith 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
- N8575V · registry record · serial 142-75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT JUST AFTER THE AIRPLANE GOT OFF THE WATER THE WIND SPEED OR DIRECTION, OR BOTH, CHANGED. THE AIRPLANE STOPPED CLIMBING, THEN HIT THE TERRAIN AT THE EDGE OF THE LAKE. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS TAKING OFF WITH A LIGHT LOAD, AND THAT HE HAD USED THAT LAKE 50 TO 60 TIMES PREVIOUSLY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR A STEADY WIND.
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: 850 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 850 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 1993; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Toolik Lake AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N8575V 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.