Bellanca 8KCAB accident near Santa Paula, California, August 22, 1989
On August 22, 1989 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered N1119E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Paula, California (Santa Paul airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE CONDUCT OF THE FLIGHT AND TO TAKE TIMELY AND EFFECTIVE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO THE STUDENT'S IMPROPER CONTROL INPUTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1989 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · Santa Paul · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8KCAB · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N1119E · registry record · serial 309-77
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT UNDER TRAINING, WHO OCCUPIED THE FRONT SEAT, SAID THAT ON SHORT FINAL HE SAW A SET OF POWER LINES WHICH CROSSED THE EXTENDED RUNWAY CENTERLINE NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. HE SAID HE FELT THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT GOING TO CLEAR THE WIRES AND HE INCREASED THE AIRCRAFT NOSE PITCH ATTITUDE. A HIGH RATE OF SINK DEVELOPED AND THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A PARKED TRUCK ON A STREET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE CFI SAID THAT HE SAW THE PILOT UNDER TRAINING RAISE THE NOSE ATTITUDE BUT THAT HE DID NOT APPLY POWER 'BECAUSE OF THE AIRCRAFT PITCH-UP TENDENCY.' WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT SAW THE AIRCRAFT APPROACH 'LOW AND FLAT.' ON SHORT FINAL THEY SAW THE AIRCRAFT NOSE COME UP AND THE AIRCRAFT STALLED 'THEN CAME DOWN LIKE AN ELEVATOR.' THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT FOR THE PILOT UNDER TRAINING IN THIS AIRCRAFT TYPE.
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: 645 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 494 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-H1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SZP at 8:20 pm
- Destination: SZP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,650 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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 LAX89LA284.