Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Yakutat, Alaska, November 12, 1995
On November 12, 1995 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N86922, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yakutat, 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's attempt to fly into known adverse weather, not maintaining a proper forward visual lookout, and not maintaining a proper altitude while maneuvering the airplane for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 1995 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Yakutat, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N86922 · no longer on the register · serial 30-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was transporting a passenger from Icy Bay to Yakutat. He received a weather briefing which called for marginal VFR conditions. While approaching Yakutat the weather began to deteriorate to conditions below VFR minimums. The pilot elected to land on the beach near Yakutat. During the low approach over the beach, the pilot turned right over the water. As he flew away from the beach he stated he could see the shoreline and the treeline. The airplane's main gear wheels struck the water and the airplane nosed over into the water 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 503 hours in all; 151 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 340 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 19AK Icy Bay AK at 12:15 pm
- Destination: YAK AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N86922 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.