Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Springfield, Tennessee, December 15, 1985
On December 15, 1985 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N2697Z, was destroyed in an accident near Springfield, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- December 15, 1985 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N2697Z · registry record · serial 367-68
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND INVERTED. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS PERFORMING LOOPS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. REPORTEDLY, THE PLT WAS GIVING A FEMALE COMPANION A 'JOY RIDE'. THE PLT HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED HIS COMMERCIAL CERT. INSTRUMENT RATING & CFI CERTIFICATE. HE HAD LOGGED 3 HRS OF AEROBATIC INSTRUCTION & 14 HRS OF AEROBATIC PRACTICE IN BELLANCA 8KCAB. DURING THE 90 DAYS PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT THE PLT HAD LOGGED ONLY 2 HRS IN THE BELLANCA 8KCAB. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND WITNIN THE ACFT.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 236 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 139 as pilot in command; 6 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,383 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 19, 1985; 233 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-320-E2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: William Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: M91 at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from BNA, 30 miles away
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.