Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Jackson, Georgia, February 16, 1989
On February 16, 1989 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N4126Y, was destroyed in an accident near Jackson, Georgia. 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRPLANE WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S DECISION TO PERFORM AEROBATIC MANEUVERS AT LOW ALTITUDE, AND COMPLACENCY ABOUT PERFORMING SUCH MANEUVERS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1989 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N4126Y · no longer on the register · serial 950-76
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 812 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1989; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from ATL, 32 miles away
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.