Bellanca 7KCAB accident near Carlsbad, California, June 26, 2006
On June 26, 2006 at about 2:30 am local time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, registered N1098E, was destroyed in an accident near Carlsbad, California (Mcclellan Palomar airport). It was a personal 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's failure to maintain runway alignment during the aborted landing, which resulted in a collision with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2006 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Carlsbad, California · Mcclellan Palomar · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N1098E · registry record · serial 610-77
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted a tree at the departure end of the runway during an aborted landing. The pilot had been cleared to land on runway 24 with reported winds from 170 degrees at 8 knots. The airplane touched down left main wheel first, followed by the right main wheel, and then the tail wheel. After the tail wheel touched down, it started to vibrate and the pilot released backpressure on the flight controls to stop the vibration. The left wing started to move up, and the airplane began to weathervane to the left. The pilot aborted the landing, and became airborne heading about 30 degrees left of the runway centerline directly toward some buildings. He turned the airplane to the right back towards the runway; however, he over corrected, and it crossed over the runway to the opposite side heading for other airport buildings. He initiated a left turn back toward the runway, and the airplane collided with a tree on the north side departure end of the runway in a straight and level attitude. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with either the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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: 865 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 620 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-E2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pinnacle Aviation Academy INC
The flight
- Departed from: F70 Murrieta CA at 2:00 am
- Destination: CRQ Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,897 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 900 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from CRQ
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.