Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Deeth, Nevada, April 29, 1982
On April 29, 1982 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N8943, was substantially damaged in an accident near Deeth, Nevada. It was a business 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1982 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Deeth, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N8943 · no longer on the register · serial 607-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT CHOSE TO LAND ON AN ABANDONED HIGHWAY ON A HEADING OF 240 DEGREES. REPORTEDLY, THE WINDS WERE FROM THE NORTHEAST AT 8 GUSTING 18 KNOTS. WHILE MAKING A WHEEL LANDING, A GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED ABOUT WHEN ENOUGH SPEED HAD BEEN LOST TO LOWER THE TAIL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IT RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND NOSED OVER.
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
- Flight time: 728 hours in all; 653 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 681 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,100 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 250 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Spratling Ranch NV at 1:20 pm
- Destination: Gate City VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 149°F (65°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N8943 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.