Bellanca 7ECA accident near Fremont, California, November 19, 1991
On November 19, 1991 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N36243, was destroyed in an accident near Fremont, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED ABOVE THE STALL SPEED. HIS OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY, LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, AND HIS INADEQUATE TRAINING IN ACROBATIC FLIGHT WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 1991 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fremont, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N36243 · no longer on the register · serial 960-73
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT HAD FLOWN TO ANOTHER AIRPORT TO PICK-UP A PILOT. GROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE EXECUTING A LOW LEVEL STEEP TURN IN A CANYON BEFORE COLLIDING WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPLANE AND WAS NOT ADEQUATELY TRAINED IN AEROBATIC FLIGHT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,736 hours in all; 91 in this make and model; 34 in the last 30 days; 1,677 as pilot in command; 1,410 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Hayward Air Squadron
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 5:05 pm
- Destination: HWD Hayward CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:46 pm from OAK, 21 miles away
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.
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.