Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Saratoga, Arkansas, October 30, 1993
On October 30, 1993 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N130KS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saratoga, Arkansas. 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 PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S PERFORMANCE OF AEROBATICS AT AN ALTITUDE WHERE IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 1993 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Saratoga, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N130KS · no longer on the register · serial 588-80
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED A SERIES OF AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ROLL INTO A 90 DEGREE BANK AT 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND THEN ROLL INVERTED. THEY FURTHER OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ROLL UPRIGHT AS IT LOST ALTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE MADE A RIGHT TURN AND CLEARED SOME OF THE TREES; HOWEVER, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR A COMPLETE RECOVERY AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND AND SEVERAL TREES.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 283 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TXK Texarkana AR at 8:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 25 knots, gusting 33
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.