Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Bismarck, North Dakota, March 11, 1993
On March 11, 1993 at about 4:22 am local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N88384, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bismarck, North Dakota (Bismarck Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE EN ROUTE TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FUEL TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1993 · about 4:22 am local time
- Place
- Bismarck, North Dakota · Bismarck Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N88384 · registry record · serial 774-75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED GRAND ISLAND WITH FULL FUEL AND CALCULATIONS INDICATED AN EN ROUTE FUEL STOP WOULD BE REQUIRED. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PILOT RECALCULATED THE FUEL CONSUMPTION AND ELECTED NOT TO MAKE THE FUEL STOP BUT TO CONTINUE TO THE DESTINATION. FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED DURING THE LANDING APPROACH AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A ROAD DURING WHICH THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED A TREE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 251 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRI Grand Island NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from BIS, 3 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.
Other NTSB records under N88384 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.