Bellanca 7ECA accident near Murrieta, California, December 29, 1983
On December 29, 1983 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N90973, was substantially damaged in an accident near Murrieta, California (Thompson airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 1983 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Murrieta, California · Thompson
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N90973 · registry record · serial 902-73
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING LANDING ROLLOUT. THE PLT REPORTED THE ACFT SPEED ON FINAL WAS 80 MPH WHICH IS FASTER THAN NORMAL. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 900 FT DOWN THE 2682 FT RWY. THE LANDING WAS ON RWY 15 AND THE WIND WAS FROM 045 DEGREES AT 4 KTS. THE PLT INCREASED BRAKING TO TRY TO STOP AND THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY TO THE RIGHT NEAR THE DEPARTURE END. THE ACFT CAME TO REST WITHIN ABOUT 150 FT OF THE ARPT BOUNDARY. THE PLT HAD ABOUT 30 HRS IN TAILWHEEL TYPE ACFT AND HAD RECEIVED A CHECKOUT IN THE SUBJECT ACFT TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 271 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 187 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,535 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, December 23, 1983; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Michael Dewey Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SZP Sant Paula CA at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,682 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX84LA120.