Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Lawrenceville, Illinois, April 16, 1990
On April 16, 1990 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N50671, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrenceville, Illinois. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE STUDENT PILOT FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN THAT THE INSTRUCTOR ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO LET THE AIRSPEEED DISSIPATE BELOW STALL SPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 1990 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrenceville, Illinois
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N50671 · no longer on the register · serial 600-80
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE COMMERCIAL RATED STUDENT PILOT PERFORMED A TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION FOLLOWING A SWATH RUN AND STALLED THE AIRCRAFT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 200 FT AGL. A FULL RECOVERY FROM THE STALL COULD NOT BE MADE DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO A PLOWED FIELD.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,325 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command; 1,390 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,765 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 11, 1990; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AE10-320-E1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Vincennes University
The flight
- Departed from: LWV Lawrenceville IL at 5:30 pm
- Destination: LWV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from HUF, 46 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.