Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Usaf Academy, Colorado, May 2, 1998
On May 2, 1998 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N5043N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Usaf Academy, Colorado (Usaf Academy airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot exceeding the airplane's crosswind component, and his failure to maintain directional control. Factors were the crosswind and gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1998 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Usaf Academy, Colorado · Usaf Academy · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N5043N · no longer on the register · serial 302-79
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After towing a glider aloft and releasing it, the pilot returned to the airport and landed on runway 16R. He said the wind was reported to be from the east 'and within crosswind limits.' Upon touchdown, 'an extra strong gust appeared to hit very suddenly and unexpectedly.' The pilot used aileron and rudder in an attempt to maintain runway alignment, but the left wing, then the right wing, contacted the runway, and the airplane veered left, departed the runway, and nosed over. The pilot said the tower had received a warning for wind gusts over 25 knots at about the time he touched down, but had not had time to broadcast this information. There were 'small thunderstorms and nimbocumulus (clouds) all over the area, the nearest about 1-2 miles northeast.' According to the Bellanca 8GCBC Airplane Flight Manual, the demonstrated crosswind velocity is 15 knots. Under the conditions reported by the pilot, the crosswind component was between 25 and 30 knots.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,138 hours in all; 5,500 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,373 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 13, 1998; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2E (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: AFA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16R, 4,500 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from COS, 11 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 N5043N 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.