Bellanca 8GCBC accident near De Smet, South Dakota, February 13, 2026
On February 13, 2026 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1980 Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N5071K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near De Smet, South Dakota (Wilder 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2026 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- De Smet, South Dakota · Wilder · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC NO SERIES, built 1980 · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N5071K · registry record · serial 348-80
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while landing the tailwheel equipped airplane, the tailwheel began shaking, and he lost directional control. The airplane veered off the runway and came to rest in a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and that he should have had more back pressure on the elevator controls to prevent the tailwheel from shaking.
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 defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Not specified
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 647.9 hours in all; 184.4 in this make and model; 2.1 in the last 90 days; 647.9 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 10, 2026
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,346.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 2025; 10.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,881 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 C1E (piston); 2,081 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SD83 Private Strip SD
- Destination: 6E5 De Smet SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from KHON, 29 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KHON 132155Z AUTO 16003KT 10SM CLR 15/M07 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP151 T01501067
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – N5071K in hangar
Photograph 2 – Left profile of damages to airplane
Photograph 3 – Left side fuselage damages
Photograph 4 – Showing bent aft fuselage structure
Photograph 5 – Tailwheel bent off centerThe 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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 30, 2026. 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 | Memorandum for Record A�� Request for Info - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 6 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN26LA117.