Bellanca 7AC accident near Germantown, Kentucky, April 21, 1985
On April 21, 1985 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Bellanca 7AC, registered N85652, was substantially damaged in an accident near Germantown, Kentucky (Brown County Airport). 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 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
- April 21, 1985 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Germantown, Kentucky · Brown County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7AC · all 7ACs on the register
- Registration
- N85652 · registry record · serial 7AC-4396
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLT OVER HILLY TERRAIN, THE PLT NOTED A POWER LOSS THAT HE DESCRIBED AS THE ENG 'DYING BACK AND THEN CATCHING AGAIN.' HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT & SELECTED A FIELD FOR A LANDING. DURING THE APCH, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR & PROP HIT 2 POWER LINES. THE POWER LINES BROKE & THE ACFT CONTINUED FLYING. HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT SWERVED & WAS FURTHER DAMAGED. AN EXAM OF THE FUEL TANK REVEALED THAT THE COATING INSIDE THE TANK HAD BEGUN FLAKING & FLAKES HAD PARTIALLY OBSTRUCTED A FUEL SCREEN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,750 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20,601 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 018 Cynthiana KY at 9:55 pm
- Destination: HOC Hillsboro OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 50°F (10°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.
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.