Bellanca 7KCAB accident near Burlington, Colorado, February 6, 1990
On February 6, 1990 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, registered N11641, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burlington, Colorado (Kit Carson airport). It was an instructional 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 FAILURE OF THE DUAL STUDENT TO CORRECT A GROUND LOOP SWERVE DURING TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE CFI WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1990 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Colorado · Kit Carson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N11641 · no longer on the register · serial 302-72
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) SAID THE DUAL STUDENT WAS MAKING A TAKEOFF. DURING THE GROUND RUN, THE AIRPLANE SWERVED LEFT, BUT ACCORDING TO THE CFI, HE WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THE SWERVE. THE CFI SAID THAT WHEN THE TAIL WHEEL LIFTED, THE PLANE TURNED HARD LEFT, AND THE CFI WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BEFORE THE PLANE STRUCK A SNOW BANK ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE PLANE NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,100 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 9,900 as pilot in command; 7,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,635 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5CO Burlington CO at 9:30 pm
- Destination: 5CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 15, 5,200 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.