Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Hawley, Minnesota, November 5, 2001
On November 5, 2001 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N256J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hawley, Minnesota (Private 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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control. A factor was the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 2001 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hawley, Minnesota · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N256J · registry record · serial 1212-80
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft struck trees during an aborted landing. The pilot lost directional control and then became airborne again. The pilot stated "When I again touched down I was approx 30 angle to the runway, heading 310 looking directly at runway marker. I pushed throttle to full power (too fast) which caused the engine to spit and sputter. I was able to lift up enough to miss runway marker but was not gaining any more altitude. The terrain below was going down because of side hill, then came the trees which are on the neighbors property north of strip, I didn't think I could bank to the left hard enough to miss the trees without having left wing touch the ground. So instead I banked some to the left to avoid direct fuselage hit to tree limbs. My right wing hit the tree, then I fell approx 30-40 feet straight into a small pond/swamp".
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 350 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 29, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,265 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 21, 2001; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DTL Detroit Lakes MN at 8:45 pm
- Destination: Hawley MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.