Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Geyserville, California, June 5, 1988
On June 5, 1988 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N5061W, was destroyed in an accident near Geyserville, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- June 5, 1988 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Geyserville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N5061W · no longer on the register · serial 575 79
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER IN FRONT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS THE PILOT ENTERED AN INTENTIONAL SPIN STARTING AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FT AGL. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW, WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY PROBLEMS PRIOR TO IMPACT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,335 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 2,074 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-H1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 060 Cloverdale CA at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from STS, 16 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.