Bellanca 7ECA accident near Spearfish, South Dakota, April 23, 1982
On April 23, 1982 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N5066G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spearfish, South Dakota (Black Hills airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- April 23, 1982 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Spearfish, South Dakota · Black Hills · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N5066G · registry record · serial 133180
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED ON RUNWAY 30 TO PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. HE IMMEDIATELY ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 26. HE SAID HE MADE A POWER ON, SOFT FIELD LANDING, TOUCHING DOWN AT 65 KNOTS IAS, AND THEN IMMEDIATELY STARTED A TAKEOFF. REPORTEDLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, HE LOWERED THE NOSE TO GAIN ADDITIONAL AIRSPEED, AND BEGAN TO CLIMB. AT ABOUT 100 TO 150 FT AGL, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE BACK TOWARDS THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO RAISE THE AIRSPEED AND MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, BUT WAS UNABLE. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN, OVERRAN THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND STRUCK A FENCE. AFTER LANDING, THE WIND SOCK INDICATED A QUARTERING TAILWIND. AN INVESTIGATION INDICATED THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT RUNWAY AVAILABLE FOR A TOUCH AND GO LANDING. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 5885 FT MSL. THERE WERE FOUR RUNWAYS AT THIS AIRPORT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 5700 FT.
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: student
- Flight time: 33 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 734 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-K2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Star Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SPF Spearfish SD at 2:55 pm
- Destination: SPF Spearfish SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,975 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from RAP, 42 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.