Bellanca 7ECA accident near Sonoma, California, January 31, 1988
On January 31, 1988 at about 1:20 am local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N5058K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sonoma, California (Schellville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- January 31, 1988 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Sonoma, California · Schellville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N5058K · registry record · serial 132079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT, DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND GROUND LOOPED. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 302 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 207 as pilot in command; 1 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,290 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 10, 1988; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0Q3 Sonoma CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 2,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 am from APC, 7 miles away
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 N5058K 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.