Bellanca 7GCAA accident near Elbert, Colorado, July 24, 1983
On July 24, 1983 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCAA, registered N8626V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elbert, Colorado. It was a personal 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
- July 24, 1983 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Elbert, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCAA · all 7GCAAs on the register
- Registration
- N8626V · registry record · serial 321-75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ENGINE QUIT WHILE THE PLT WAS PERFORMING AEROBATICS, AN AIRSTART WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADEIN AN OPEN FIELD SURROUNDED BY TREES. DURING THE LANDING ONE WING HIT A TREE CAUSING THE ACFT TO VEER INTO A CREEK. THE PLT SAID HE HAD TAKEN OFF WITH TANKS HALF FULL OF FUEL. INVESTIGATION OF THE ACFT SHOWED WATER IN THE FUEL AND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. ALSO A SPLIT SEAL WAS FOUND ON THE FUEL CAP OF THE RIGHT TANK. THE ACFT WAS NOT HANGERED AND THERE HAD BEENHEAVY RAIN FOR THE TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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
- Flight time: 615 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 534 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,180 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 1983; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N8626V 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.