Bellanca 8GCBC accident near El Dorado, Arkansas, July 27, 2018
On July 27, 2018 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N391KM, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near El Dorado, Arkansas. It was an aerial observation 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 improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2018 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- El Dorado, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N391KM · no longer on the register · serial 182-75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the return to the departure airport following a local flight, the engine lost all power. Subsequently, he conducted a forced landing on a dirt road, during which the propeller struck the ground, and the airplane then nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that only 1 gallon of fuel was recovered from both wing tanks.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Nose over/nose down during after landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Blues Air Llc
The flight
- Departed from: El Dorado AR
- Destination: El Dorado AR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KELD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 11, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.