Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Sikeston, Missouri, September 6, 2003
On September 6, 2003 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N19CK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sikeston, Missouri (Private Airstrip airport). It was a business 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 pilot's inadvertent activation of the brake system during touchdown and his inadequate remedial action, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2003 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sikeston, Missouri · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N19CK · registry record · serial 280-78
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane nosed over during the landing rollout. The pilot reported he flew an uneventful traffic pattern until touchdown. The pilot stated, "As soon as the main gear touched the ground the wheels immediately dug in as if they were not turning... ." The pilot continued to say "The [airplane] immediately went to a very tail high attitude. I pulled the stick all the way back, but the [airplane] was already too tail high to recover. The prop struck the ground and then the [airplane] flipped upside down... ." The pilot stated he inspected the airplane subsequent to the accident and confirmed the parking brake was completely disengaged. The airplane had landed to the north and the touchdown point was approximately 300 feet down the runway. There were two parallel brake skid marks beginning near the touchdown point, which continued down the runway for approximately 150 feet. There were 13 propeller-strike markings beginning approximately 100 feet from the touchdown point. The wreckage was located approximately 200 feet from the touchdown point. The main landing gear and the associated wheels, tires, rotors, brake calipers, and brake pads were inspected. No anomalies were found with the inspected items; all components were in a serviceable condition. The brake system functioned as designed when the brake pedals were depressed and released.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 125 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 94 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 12, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,572.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2003; 17.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SIK Sikeston MO at 2:50 pm
- Destination: PVT Sikeston
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from CGI, 20 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N19CK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.