Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Churchville, Maryland, October 29, 1989
On October 29, 1989 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N7871S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Churchville, Maryland (Harford CO. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT NOT MAINTAINING ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM THE WIND SOCK DURING AN ABORTED LANDING. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PRESENCE OF ANOTHER AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1989 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Churchville, Maryland · Harford CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N7871S · no longer on the register · serial 229-76
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN ON RWY 01, THE PILOT NOTICED ANOTHER ACFT ON APPROACH FOR RWY 10. THE PLT APPLIED FULL PWR TO ABORT THE LANDING, PULLED UP & TURNED RIGHT FOR AVOIDANCE. THE RIGHT WING COLLIDED WITH A 4-INCH SQUARE WIND SOCK POLE ADJACENT TO THE RWY, AND THE ACFT CRASHED INVERTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 28, 1989; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 1,650 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.