Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Tunica, Mississippi, June 2, 1984
On June 2, 1984 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N4211Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tunica, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 2, 1984 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tunica, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N4211Y · no longer on the register · serial 967-77
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-RATED PLT STATED THAT DURING A LOCAL FLT, HE FLEW OVER A WATER WELL DRILLING OPERATION TO SURVEY THE AREA. HE REPORTED THAT HE CIRCLED AT 500 FT 'INDICATE'. AFTER SURVEYING THE AREA, HE INITIATED A CLIMB, BUT THE ENG LOST POWER. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE ACFT STALLED & ENTERED A SPIN. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE SPIN & LEVEL THE WINGS; HOWEVER, THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE PASSENGER & 2 GROUND WITNESSES PROVIDE INFO THAT GENERALLY AGREED WITH THE PLT'S ACCOUNT OF THE OCCURRENCE. HOWEVER, 1 GROUND WITNESS ESTIMATED THAT THE ACFT HAD DESCENDED TO ABOUT 50 FT AGL & THE ENG LOST POWER AFTER THE PLANE HAD CLIMBED TO APRX 100 FT AGL. THE ELEVATION WAS ABOUT 190 FT. NO PREIMPACT FAILURE WAS FOUND, EXCEPT THE WIRE IN THE MIXTURE CONTROL CABLE HAD BEEN CRACKED ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WAY THRU. AT MEMPHIS, TN, THE 1551 CDT TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 86 & 55 DEG. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CARB ICING COULD HAVE OCCURRED AT OR BELOW RATED POWER.
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: student
- Flight time: 75 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 60 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,091 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 1984; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 31M Tunica MS at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from MEM
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.