Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Lawrenceville, Illinois, October 31, 1987
On October 31, 1987 at about 6:18 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N41682, was destroyed in an accident near Lawrenceville, Illinois (Lawrenceville Vincinnes airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 1987 · about 6:18 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrenceville, Illinois · Lawrenceville Vincinnes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N41682 · no longer on the register · serial 11573
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A SPIN TO THE LEFT AND DID NOT RECOVER BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE ACFT ENTERED THE SPIN AFTER THE PLT ANNOUNCED THAT THIS SPIN WOULD BE THE LAST MANEUVER BEFORE LANDING. THE SPIN WAS STARTED AT ABOUT 1000 FT AGL. ROTATION STOPPED AND NOSE WAS BEING RAISED BUT THE ACFT CONTACTED THE GROUND BEFORE RECOVERY WAS COMPLETED. THIS TYPE OF LUNCHTIME AIRSHOW WAS NOT SANCTIONED BY FAA, BUT HAD BECOME A TRADITION AT THIS FLT SCHOOL DURING 'DADS WEEKEND'.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 122 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 4,368 as pilot in command; 3,293 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,564 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 1987; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWV at 6:05 pm
- Destination: LWV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from EVV, 43 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.