Bellanca 7ECA accident near Pike Road, Alabama, November 30, 1992
On November 30, 1992 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N7622S, was destroyed in an accident near Pike Road, Alabama (Bartlett Ranch airport). 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. FACTORS WERE THE INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND IN THAT HE OPERATED THE AIRCRAFT IN EXCESS OF THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 1992 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Pike Road, Alabama · Bartlett Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N7622S · no longer on the register · serial 1142-76
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT (FRONT COCKPIT) AND COMMERCIAL PILOT (REAR COCKPIT) WERE TAKING OFF FROM A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP. THE AIRSTRIP OWNER HEARD THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE AT FULL POWER, THEN HE HEARD THE ENGINE NOISE RESONATE FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND OF THE CRASH. HE COMPARED THIS SOUND TO THAT OF AN AIRCRAFT IN A SPIN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION IN AN OPEN PASTURE ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS INDICATIVE OF A LEFT WING LOW, NOSE LOW IMPACT WITH SUBSTANTIAL VERTICAL FORCE. BOTH WINGS WERE BROKEN FORWARD, THE LEFT WING SPARS WERE BROKEN AT THE STRUT ATTACH POINTS AS WELL AS OTHER PLACES. IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AT ABOUT 92 POUNDS IN EXCESS OF THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. A DETERMINATION AS TO WHICH PILOT WAS ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND WAS NOT MADE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,320 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 1992; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dothan Jet Center, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 6:15 pm
- Destination: SCD Sylacauga AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,500 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from MGM, 15 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.