Bellanca 7KCAB accident near Huntsville, Texas, January 30, 1984
On January 30, 1984, a Bellanca 7KCAB, registered N4186Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Huntsville, Texas (Huntsville Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 30, 1984
- Place
- Huntsville, Texas · Huntsville Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N4186Y · registry record · serial 601-77
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD FLOWN THE ACFT WITH STUDENTS EARLIER IN THE DAY, & IT WAS HIS HABIT TO FLY THE ACFT AROUND THE PATTERN ONCE AT THE END OF THE DAY PRIOR TO SECURING IT IN THE HANGAR. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE RWY. EVIDENCE FOUND IN THE REAR COCKPIT INDICATED THAT THE ACFT SEAT BELT WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE AFT STICK. THE FRAYING & DAMAGE ON THE SEAT BELT CORRESPONDED TO WHERE THE ADJUSTMENT BUCKLE WOULD HAVE BEEN IF THE BELT WAS WRAPPED ONCE AROUND THE STICK & BUCKLED WITH THE STICK IN THE FULL AFT 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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,631 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 22, 1983; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-320-E2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Huntsville Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:57 pm from CLL, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4186Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.