Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Grind Stone City, Michigan, March 13, 2024
On March 13, 2024 at about 9:50 pm local time, a 1977 Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N4159Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Grind Stone City, Michigan (Grindstone Air Harbor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll on a wet turf runway with a quartering tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2024 · about 9:50 pm local time · cases in 2024
- Place
- Grind Stone City, Michigan · Grindstone Air Harbor · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC, built 1977 · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N4159Y · registry record · serial 23877
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a flight in a tailwheel equipped airplane. During the landing, the airplane bounced, and then settled back to the runway. The tail of the airplane rose, the nose of the airplane dropped, and the propeller struck the ground. The airplane came to rest inverted resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, both wings, and wing struts. The pilot noted that the airstrip was more wet than he anticipated. The pilot reported that the airplane had no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. Wind conditions at the time of the accident were from 120° at 9 knots, the pilot landed on runway 36.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Wet surface › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 104.7 hours in all; 5.4 in this make and model; 24.4 in the last 90 days; 8.4 in the last 30 days; 39.7 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 14, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,105.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 C2E (piston); 2,117 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 60D Reese MI at 9:15 pm
- Runway 36, 1,800 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 9 knots
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KP58, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KP58 132155Z AUTO 12009KT 07/02 A2991 RMK AO1 SLP131 T00720022,M
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 9, 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4159Y on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Bellanca 8 Decathlon and Scout 554 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Bellanca 2,699 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 C2E 5 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Grindstone Air Harbor Airport · nearest airport
- Bauer Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Michigan 2,107 since 1982 · 230 in the last ten years
- Michigan 7,226 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN24LA136.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.