Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Grand Rapids, Minnesota, February 18, 1999
On February 18, 1999 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N57468, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Rapids, Minnesota. 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 inadequate visual lookout. A factor to the accident was the unmarked transmission wire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1999 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Rapids, Minnesota
- 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
- N57468 · registry record · serial 514-73
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing a short-field landing approach to the frozen lake. The pilot stated that on approach to the frozen lake he struck the unmarked transmission wires with his vertical stabilizer. The pilot stated that he retained control of the aircraft and landed on the frozen lake. The pilot did not report any engine or flight control anomalies prior to contacting the transmission wires.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,250 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,208 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,508 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 1998; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GPZ MN at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 5°F (-15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from GPZ, 6 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.