Bellanca 7ACA accident near Lompoc, California, May 21, 1986
On May 21, 1986 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ACA, registered N9158L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lompoc, California (Lompoc Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1986 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Lompoc, California · Lompoc Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ACA · all 7ACAs on the register
- Registration
- N9158L · no longer on the register · serial 19-71
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BELLANCE CHAMPION WENT OUT OF CONTROL AN COLLIDED WITH TWO OTHER PARKED ACFT AFTER A HAND PROPPED START. THE PLT INDICATED THAT THE ACFT WAS TIED DOWN WITH TWO CHAINS ATTACHED TO EACH OF THE WINGS AT ONE END AND TO A CABLE THAT STRETCHED ACROSS THE RAMP AT THE OTHER END. THE PLT ELECTED TO HAND START THE ENG WITHOUT SOMEONE ON THE BRAKES. WHEN THE ENG STARTED IT DEVELOPED MORE THAN IDLE RPM. THE ACFT BROKE ONE OF THE TIE DOWN CHAINS AND STARTED A PIVOT TURN AROUND THE OTHER CHAIN AND STRUCK TWO PARKED ACFT BEFORE STOPPING. AC 61-21A STATES, 'IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT AN ENGINE NEVER BE 'HAND PROPPED' UNLESS A QUALIFIED PERSON THOROUGHLY FAMILAR WITH THE OPERATION OF ALL THE CONTROLS IS SEATED AT THE CONTROLS AND THE BRAKES SET. AS A ADDITIONAL PRECAUSTION, CHOCKS SHOULD BE PLACED IN FRONT OF THE MAIN WHEELS. IF THIS IS NOT FEASIBLE, THE AIRPLANE'S TAIL SHOULD BE SECURELY TIED.'
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,819 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 91 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 1,622 as pilot in command; 1,127 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,134 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 1985; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,332 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8-I (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LPC Lompoc CA
- Destination: SMX Santa Maria CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 20 knots, gusting 24
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Observation at 8:55 pm from VBG, 8 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.
Other NTSB records under N9158L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX86LA227.