Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Santa Ynez, California, August 27, 1982
On August 27, 1982 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N5049U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Ynez, California (Santa Ynez 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 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
- August 27, 1982 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ynez, California · Santa Ynez · 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
- N5049U · no longer on the register · serial 314-79
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED SHORT OF THE RWY DURING A LOCAL FLT. THE LANDING APPROACH WAS TO RWY 26 AND THE WIND ACCORDING TO A WITNESS WAS FROM 225 DEGREES AT 10 KTS. ANOTHER WITNESS ACCOUNT STATED THAT THE ACFT APPROACHED THE RWY AT A 90 DEGREE ANGEL WITH THE RIGHT WING DOWN AT AN ALT OF 20-25 FT. THE ACFT APPEARED TO HAVE A HIGH SINK RATE AND HIT THE GROUND OFF THE RWY ON THE NOSE AND RIGHT WING AND SLID UP ON THE RWY AND ENDED UP HEADING EAST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RWY. THE WITNESS OBSERVED THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS TORN OFF WITH ONE MAIN WHEEL BOUNCING 30 FT INTO THE AIR AND ROLLING OFF TOWARD THE WINDSOCK. THE OWNER STATED THAT HE FELT THIS ACFT TENDED TO WIND COCK BECAUSE OF THE LARGE VERTICAL FIN AND HE THOUGHT THE WIND WAS GUSTY BECAUSE OF THE "DUST DEVILS" HE SIGHTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 630 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 723 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IZA Santa Ynez CA at 2:15 pm
- Destination: IZA Santa Ynez CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,805 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.