Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Calhoun, Georgia, June 4, 1983
On June 4, 1983 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N111UD, was destroyed in an accident near Calhoun, Georgia (Mercer airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- June 4, 1983 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Calhoun, Georgia · Mercer · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N111UD · registry record · serial 405-78
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD FLOWN TO THE ARPT TO PERFORM AEROBATIC MANEUVERS AT A FLY-IN. HE HAD A LOW ALTITUDE WAIVER TO PERFORM DOWN TO 500 FT AGL. BEFORE THE FLIGHT, HE TOLD SEVERAL SPECTATORS HE WAS GOING TO DO A MANEUVER RIGHT AFTER TAKEOFF. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENG SOUNDED NORMAL DURING THE TAKEOFF. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE PLT TURNED ON HIS AIRSHOW SMOKE. AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 200 TO 300 FT, HE EXECUTED A RAPID RIGHT ROLL THAT WITNESSES DESCRIBED AS A SNAP ROLL, REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT ROLLED APRX 90 DEG PAST 1 COMPLETE ROLL, THEN THE NOSE PITCHED & THE PLANE CRASHED IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. AN AIRLINE PLT (OWNER OF A BELLANCA DECATHALON) WAS ONE OF THE WITNESSES THAT DESCRIBED THE MANEUVER AS A SNAP ROLL. ACCORDING TO HIS DESCRIPTION, THE PLT USED INSUFFICIENT RUDDER TO STOP THE ROLL AFTER COMPLETING 1 TURN.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 830 hours in all; 354 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 683 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 465 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1982; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-H1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.