Bellanca 8KCAB accident near El Reno, Oklahoma, November 2, 1984
On November 2, 1984 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N5064L, was destroyed in an accident near El Reno, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- November 2, 1984 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- El Reno, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N5064L · no longer on the register · serial 585-80
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT WITH THE GROUND AFTER BEING OBSERVED BY GROUND WITNESSES TO GO OUT OF CONTROL DURING ANAEROBATIC MANEUVER. THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS AS TO WHAT HAPPENED. ONE WITNESS DESCRIBED THE GROUND COLLISION HAVING BEEN FROM AN INVERTED ATTITUDE. TWO OTHERS STATED THAT THE ACFT ROLLED RIGHT-SIDE-UP AND LOOPED, DIVING INTO THE GROUND. THE PLT WAS EXPERIENCED AVIATOR, BUT HAD LITTLE AEROBATIC EXPERIENCE. HIS LOG INDICATED NO AEROBATIC TRAINING. HE HAD LOGGED 8 FLTS IN THE ACCIDENT ACFT AND PRACTICED AEROBATICS ON 2 OF THOSE FLIGHTS. THE ACFT IS CAPABLE OF INVERTED FLT FOR 2 MINUTES. A PRECAUTION NOTES THAT AFTER INVERTED FLT, ONE MINUTE POSITIVE 'G' FLT MAYBE REQUIRED TO REFILL AN EXHAUSTED HEADER FUEL TANK.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 804 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 452 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 1984; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-H1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:40 pm from OKC, 28 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.
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.