Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Escalante, Utah, December 26, 1983
On December 26, 1983 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N53846, was substantially damaged in an accident near Escalante, Utah. It was a personal 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 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
- December 26, 1983 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Escalante, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N53846 · registry record · serial 888-76
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 15 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT REDUCED THE POWER TO APRX 40 TO 50% & DESCENDED TO ABOUT 300 FT AGL. WHEN HE TRIED TO INCREASE POWER, THE ENG FALTERED. HE APPLIED CARBURETOR (CARB) HEAT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER IN TIME TO PREVENT A FORCED LANDING. DURING THE LANDING, HE WAS ABLE TO BARELY CLEAR THE TOPS OF SEVERAL TREES, THEN 'PANCAKED IN & FLIPPED OVER.' THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 34 & 32 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, SERIOUS CARB ICING COULD HAVE OCCURRED IN THESE CONDITIONS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,548 hours in all; 378 in this make and model; 1,492 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,184 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 1983; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:45 pm from BCE, 33 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.