Bellanca 7ECA accident near Savannah, Georgia, July 14, 1982
On July 14, 1982 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N53812, was substantially damaged in an accident near Savannah, Georgia (Savannah Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 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
- July 14, 1982 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Savannah, Georgia · Savannah Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N53812 · no longer on the register · serial 1121-75
- 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 OWNER/PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS CHECKING OUT THE OTHER PILOT IN THE TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT. THE OWNER WAS A PRIVATE PILOT AND THE OTHER PILOT WAS REPORTEDLY A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (IP). DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE IP OVERCORRECTED WITH THE RUDDER AND THE PLANE GROUND LOOPED. THE LEFT LANDING GEAR AND LEFT WING WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
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: 83 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 45 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAV Savannah GA
- Destination: SAV Savannah GA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 9, 9,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; scat
- Temperature: 0°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.
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.