Bellanca 7ECA accident near Hope, North Dakota, January 3, 1986
On January 3, 1986 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N50384, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hope, North Dakota. 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 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
- January 3, 1986 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hope, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N50384 · registry record · serial 1292-79
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THE CITABRIA HE WAS PILOTING FAILED TO OBTAIN FLYING SPEED BEFORE REACHING THE END OF THE SNOW COVERED PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF TOO LATE. THE ACFT CONTACTED A SNOWBANK AND NOSED OVER. THE PLT SAID THAT DURING THE POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION HE NOTICED THE CARB HEAT HAD INADVERTENTLY BEEN LEFT 'ON' FROM THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT. THE TAKEOFF WAS BEING MADE WITH A 5 KNOT TAILWIND.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 277 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 102 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,150 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 25, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-K2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,400 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.