Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Chino, California, October 1, 1986
On October 1, 1986, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N87020, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chino, California (Chino airport). 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
- October 1, 1986
- Place
- Chino, California · Chino · 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
- N87020 · no longer on the register · serial 52-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT GROUND LOOPED IN A FRESHLY PLOWED FIELD DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER COMPLETING A BANNER TOW OPERATION. THE PLT INDICATED THAT HE HAD JUST ENTERED A DOWNWIND TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR THE BANNER RELEASE AREA WHEN THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE POWER. HE MOVED THE MIXTURE CONTROL TO THE FULL RICH POSITION AND PUMPED THE THROTTLE. THE ENG REGAINED POWER MOMENTARILY AND THEN QUIT. THE ACFT WAS APRX 600 FT AGL AND THE PLT DECIDED NOT TO ATTEMPT A RESTART. HE RELEASED THE BANNER AND LANDED INTO THE WIND ON A FRESHLY PLOWED FIELD. THE ACFT'S RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED ON LANDING ROLL. THE ACFT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE ARPT AND THE ENG WAS RUN WITHOUT INCIDENT AND WAS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FULL POWER. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE FLAME TUBE LOCATED IN THE ACFT'S MUFFLER SYSTEM WAS DISINTEGRATING. IT WAS SUSPECTED THAT THE PIECES OF THE FLAME TUBE MAY HAVE BLOCKED THE MUFFLER OUTLET, BUT THE MALFUNCTION COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 921 hours in all; 433 in this make and model; 305 in the last 90 days; 86 in the last 30 days; 745 as pilot in command; 34 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,020 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 1986; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 8:00 pm
- Runway 26, 3,858 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:05 pm from ONT, 5 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 N87020 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.