Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Laporte, Texas, January 15, 1997
On January 15, 1997 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N5062P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laporte, Texas (Laporte Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's diminished ability to maintain control of the airplane due to a jammed elevator control as result of inadequate maintenance procedures by the operator's mechanic.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 1997 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Laporte, Texas · Laporte Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N5062P · registry record · serial 568-79
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot encountered pitch control problems after completing approximately 30 minutes of aerobatics. The pilot contacted the operator on Unicom and advised them that the airplane was experiencing elevator control problems. He reported his position as 10 miles southeast of the airport and advised the traffic that he was proceeding straight in to runway 30. The operator stated that the pilot was unable to move the elevator or the elevator trim, but managed to control the airplane's pitch and altitude with power. After clearing trees near the airport, the airplane touched down short of the airport, bounced, went through the airport's perimeter fence, impacted a fire hydrant and skidded to a stop approximately 1/4 mile short of the threshold for runway 30. Examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector and the operator revealed that a chromed adjustment buckle of the type normally utilized for the shoulder harness straps was blocking the movement of the elevator control tube at the elevator bellcrank. A review of the airplane records revealed that the shoulder harnesses were replaced by a mechanic approximately 90 flight hours prior to the accident.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 257 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 4,036 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 927 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 1996; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-H1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T41 at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,171 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from EFD
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.