Bellanca 7ECA accident near Hearne, Texas, October 9, 2004
On October 9, 2004 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N5529K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hearne, Texas (Hearne Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The excessive taxi speed by the pilot in command resulting in the pilot's loss of control. A contributing factor was the quartering tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2004 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hearne, Texas · Hearne Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N5529K · registry record · serial 1255-78
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 420-hour commercial pilot was taxiing at approximately 30 knots in a tail-wheel eqipped airplane with an 8-knot quartering tailwind. The airplane veered off to the left of the runway and collided with a bail of hay. The impact forced the airplane to nose-over and come to rest in an inverted position.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 420 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 7, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 233,109 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 2004
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-CI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLL College Station TX at 3:45 pm
- Destination: LHB Hearne TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 3:49 pm from LHB
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.