Bellanca 7GCBC and Champion 7KCAB mid-air collision near Van Nuys, California, August 9, 1986
On August 9, 1986, 2 aircraft, Bellanca 7GCBC (N50443) and Champion 7KCAB (N443E), were involved in a mid-air collision near Van Nuys, California. No one was hurt; 4 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
- August 9, 1986
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N50443 · registry record · serial 112879
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Champion 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N443E · registry record · serial 102
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Bellanca 7GCBC final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO PLTS, 1 FLYING BELLANCA 7GCBC, N50443, THE OTHER FLYING CHAMPION 7KCAB, N443E, TOOK THEIR GIRL FRIENDS ON A FLT WHICH INCLUDED FORMATION FLYING. THE CHAMPION PLT RPRTD HE FLEW FORMATION WITH THE BELLANCA WITH APRX A 20' SPREAD. RPRTDLY, ABOUT HALF WAY THRU THE FLT, WHILE THE CHAMPION WAS ON BELLANCA'S LEFT WING, THE BELLANCA PITCHED UP ABRUPTLY &WENT OUT OF FORMATION. AFTER REJOINING, THE CHAMPION PLT NOTICED THAT THE BELLANCA'S LEFT STABILIZER WAS BENT ON THE LEFT SIDE. LATER, SMALL ABRASIONS WERE FND ON THE CHAMPION'S RGT WING TIP WHICH MATCHED THE BELLANCA'S LEFT STABILIZER. THE PAX OF THE CHAMPION INDCD THAT AT TIMES DRG THE FLT, THE 2 ACFT CAME IN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF EACH OTHER.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Champion 7KCAB final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO PLTS, 1 FLYING BELLANCA 7GCBC, N50443, THE OTHER FLYING CHAMPION 7KCAB, N443E, TOOK THEIR GIRL FRIENDS ON A FLT WHICH INCLUDED FORMATION FLYING. THE CHAMPION PLT RPRTD HE FLEW FORMATION WITH THE BELLANCA WITH APRX A 20' SPREAD. RPRTDLY, ABOUT HALF WAY THRU THE FLT, WHILE THE CHAMPION WAS ON BELLANCA'S LEFT WING, THE BELLANCA PITCHED UP ABRUPTLY &WENT OUT OF FORMATION. AFTER REJOINING, THE CHAMPION PLT NOTICED THAT THE BELLANCA'S LEFT STABILIZER WAS BENT ON THE LEFT SIDE. LATER, SMALL ABRASIONS WERE FND ON THE CHAMPION'S RGT WING TIP WHICH MATCHED THE BELLANCA'S LEFT STABILIZER. THE PAX OF THE CHAMPION INDCD THAT AT TIMES DRG THE FLT, THE 2 ACFT CAME IN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF EACH OTHER.
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 for the Bellanca 7GCBC from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 1,180 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,486 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 30, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AVX Avalon CA
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Champion 7KCAB from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 147 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,780 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 9, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sussex Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: AVX Avalon CA
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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 N50443 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.