Bellanca 7ECA accident near Long Beach, California, February 5, 1995
On February 5, 1995 at about 11:07 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N53866, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California (Long Beach airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN TIRE, AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 1995 · about 11:07 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Long Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N53866 · no longer on the register · serial 1132-76
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NO FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE LAST 90 DAYS. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RIGHT WHEEL FIRST, THEN THE LEFT WHEEL. SOON AFTERWARDS, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT, THEN TO THE LEFT. IT CONTINUED LEFT UNTIL IT TIPPED OVER ONTO ITS NOSE. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE SPEED WAS ABOUT 10 TO 15 MILES PER HOUR, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT NOSED DOWN. ALSO, HE REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT TIRE WAS FOUND POSITIONED CROSSWISE ON THE RIM AND THAT THE RIM HAD CUT INTO THE ASPHALT SEVERAL TIMES.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Long Beach Flying Club
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25L, 5,420 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:14 pm from LGB
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.