Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Larchwood, Iowa, May 29, 2023
On May 29, 2023 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1979 Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N5038E, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Larchwood, Iowa (Larchwood-Zangger Vintage Airp airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2023 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Larchwood, Iowa · Larchwood-Zangger Vintage Airp · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB, built 1979 · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N5038E · registry record · serial 481-79
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The passenger stated they were taking off from a paved taxiway at a private airstrip when the airplane pitched up higher than normal and stalled. He recalled that the pilot told him that they were stalling. The airplane descended and impacted the terrain adjacent to the taxiway. Impact signatures were consistent with a low-energy impact indicative of an aerodynamic stall. The fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact anomalies with the airframe, fuel, system, flight controls, or engine that would have resulted in the loss of control.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private, sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 694 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: July 8, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-320 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 170, 3,179 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from KLYV, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLYV 291835Z AUTO 19009G16KT 10SM CLR 25/13 A2990 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on November 7, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Form 6120 Pilot Operator Report CEN23LA205 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for the Record Passenger Interview Summary CEN23LA205 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for the Record Accident Site and Wreckage Examination CEN23LA205 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Investigation Photographs CEN23LA205 | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Iowa State Patrol Incident Report CEN23LA205 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.