Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Bracketville, Texas, September 24, 1982
On September 24, 1982 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N8744V, was destroyed in an accident near Bracketville, Texas. 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
- September 24, 1982 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bracketville, Texas · 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
- N8744V · registry record · serial 85175
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT STATED THAT WHILE FLYING LOW OVER A RANCH LOOKING FOR LOST COWS, HE FLEW INTO HIGH POWERLINES. HE ALSO STATED THATHE WAS AWARE THAT THE POWERLINES WERE IN THE AREA.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 3,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 275 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Crawford Enterprised, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Bracketville TX at 1:25 pm
- Destination: Bracketville TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 194°F (90°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.