Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Alpine, California, October 5, 1988
On October 5, 1988 at about 8:42 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N5508H, was destroyed in an accident near Alpine, California. 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 1988 · about 8:42 pm local time
- Place
- Alpine, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N5508H · registry record · serial 43178
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD JUST RECOVERED FROM A ONE TURN SPIN AND WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT WHEN HE FELT THE AIRPLANE PITCH UP. HE ADDED A SMALL AMOUNT OF NOSE DOWN TRIM AND THE AIRPLANE PITCHED DOWN. HE STATED THAT AT THIS POINT 'THINGS DID NOT FEEL RIGHT'. HE PULLED BACK ON THE STICK AND IT DID NOT MOVE WELL, NOR WOULD IT CONTROL THE AIRPLANE. AFTER TRYING TO DETERMINE THE REASON FOR THE PROBLEM AND A ATTEMPT TO TURN TOWARDS A POSSIBLE LANDING AREA, THE PILOT DECIDED TO EGRESS FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE WAS CONDUCTED BY FAA INSPECTORS AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. MOST OF THE WRECKAGE WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT, HOWEVER THOSE CONTROL MECHANISMS THAT WERE NOT DESTROYED WERE FOUND TO BE IN WORKING ORDER. THE CONTROL STICK WAS BROKEN AT THE ATTACH POINT, HOWEVER AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE STICK WAS BROKEN DURING 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 758 hours in all; 272 in this make and model; 123 in the last 90 days; 574 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,579 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-H1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEE El Cajon CA at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.