Bellanca 7ECA accident near Watervliet, Michigan, May 1, 2024
On May 1, 2024 at about 3:20 pm local time, a 1975 Bellanca 7ECA, registered N8618V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Watervliet, Michigan (Watervliet Municipal 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 control during the landing roll on a soft turf runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2024 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Watervliet, Michigan · Watervliet Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA, built 1975 · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N8618V · no longer on the register · serial 1084-75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while landing on a turf runway in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, the main landing gear encountered soft terrain upon touchdown. The airplane rapidly decelerated and the tail rose. The pilot applied full aft pressure on the control stick but was unable to regain control before the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. During the nose over the airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and right wing strut. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Awareness of condition
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,723 hours in all; 412 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 1,600 as pilot in command; 185 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 19, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,720 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 27, 2023; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 3,720 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGC Michigan City IN at 2:55 pm
- Destination: 40C Watervilet MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,600 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 16 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KBEH, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBEH 011553Z AUTO 25016G24KT 10SM CLR 22/15 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP109 T02170150
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
![[CEN24LA176] Photograph 1 – Accident Airplane, from the NTSB investigation of Bellanca 7ECA accident near Watervliet, Michigan, May 1, 2024](/accidents/CEN24LA176/photos/17124856-2t.jpg?v=1344x1784)
![[CEN24LA176] Photograph 2 – Substantial Damage, from the NTSB investigation of Bellanca 7ECA accident near Watervliet, Michigan, May 1, 2024](/accidents/CEN24LA176/photos/17124856-3t.jpg?v=1352x1048)
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 June 28, 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | 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.
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.