Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Santa Barbara, California, September 12, 1983
On September 12, 1983 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N8741V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Barbara, California. 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 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
- September 12, 1983 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Barbara, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N8741V · registry record · serial 849-75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CIRCLING AN AREA NEAR SANTA CRUISE ISLAND, CA. DURING AERIAL FISH SPOTTING OPERATIONS, THE ACFT ENG BEGAN TO LOSE PWR. AS THE ACFT APCHD THE ISLAND THE ENG SUSTAINED A COMPLETE PWR LOSS AND NOSED OVER DRNG THE ENSUING FORCED LNDG. AN ENG EXAM REVEALED THAT THE CARB HEAT CTL WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. ACCORDING TO CARB ICING PROB CUVES MODERATE ICING AT CRUISE PWR OR SERIOUS ICING AT GLIDE PWR EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCD.
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: 1,973 hours in all; 871 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,919 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1983; 178 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOA Torrance CA at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm from SBA, 36 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.
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.