Bellanca 7GCBC accident near E. Grand Forks, Minnesota, May 30, 1986
On May 30, 1986 at about 1:10 am local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N5026H, was destroyed in an accident near E. Grand Forks, Minnesota (Jensens airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1986 · about 1:10 am local time · cases in 1986
- Place
- E. Grand Forks, Minnesota · Jensens · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N5026H · registry record · serial 1059-78
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES RPRTD THE ACFT HAD JUST LEFT THE RESTRICTED LNDG AREA (RLA) WHEN IT ENTERED A CLIMBING MANEUVER, THEN DSCNDD &IMPACTED THE GND & BURNED. TWO WITNESSES SAID IT WENT STRAIGHT UP, THEN STRAIGHT DOWN, BEFORE IT CRASHED. ANOTHER 2 WIT-NESSES NOTED A PWR INTERRUPTION; HOWEVER, A POST ACDNT TEARDOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM THATWOULD HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF PWR. THERE WAS LITTLE OR NO FWD MOVEMENT OF THE ACFT AFTER IMPACT. THE LEFT WING WAS CANTED FWD & THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT HAD YAWED LEFT (TAIL RGT) AFTER IMPACT. FIVE OPEN BEER CANS WERE FND IN THE WRECKAGE. BLOOD & URINE SAMPLES OF THE PLT TESTED POSITIVE FOR ALCOHOL (0.135% & 0.134%, RESPECTIVE). TESTS OF THE PASSENGERS' BLOOD SHOWED ALCOHOL LEVELS OF 0.074% & 0.085%. AUTO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT, ALTHO THE PLANE HAD NO STC FOR THIS TYPE OF FUEL. NEITHER OF THE REAR SEAT PASSENGERS WERE BELTED IN.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,350 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:40 am from GFK, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5026H on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Bellanca 7 Citabria 1,227 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Bellanca 2,699 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D 13 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Minnesota 1,544 since 1982 · 209 in the last ten years
- Minnesota 6,958 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI86FA146.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.