Bellanca 7ECA accident near Sonora, Texas, July 9, 1997
On July 9, 1997 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N2583F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sonora, Texas (Sonora airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control during landing roll. A factor was gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1997 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sonora, Texas · Sonora · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N2583F · registry record · serial 214
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In a written statement, the pilot stated that the UNICOM reported the winds '14 gusting to 20, generally down the runway.' During the landing roll, the airplane was 'struck by a strong gust of wind which caused the airplane to float and turn 30 to 45 degrees to the left.' Subsequently, the airplane exited the left side of the runway. The pilot then applied power to initiate a climb and avoid a 4-foot drainage ditch running parallel to the runway. The airplane then contacted brush and a fence on the opposite side of the ditch.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,095 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 1,930 as pilot in command; 39 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,280 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1996; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JCT Junction TX at 7:35 pm
- Destination: E29 TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,037 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from SJT, 49 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N2583F 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.