Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Gulf Shores, Alabama, May 16, 2012
On May 16, 2012 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N86917, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Gulf Shores, Alabama (Private airport). It was a banner-towing 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 pilot's inadvertent application of the wheel brakes immediately after landing, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2012 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gulf Shores, Alabama · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N86917 · no longer on the register · serial 27-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he landed the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a private grass strip and the airplane bounced. When the airplane settled back onto the grass, the pilot inadvertently applied the wheel brakes. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Unintentional use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 298 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 237 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 24, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,613 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Costal Airsign LLC
The flight
- Departed from: JKA Gulf Shores AL at 4:15 pm
- Destination: JKA Gulf Shores AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from JKA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.