Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Hemet, California, October 26, 1995
On October 26, 1995 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, registered N8649V, was destroyed in an accident near Hemet, California (Hemet-Ryan airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and the inadvertent stall while performing a short field landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 1995 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hemet, California · Hemet-Ryan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N8649V · no longer on the register · serial 819-75
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO DEMONSTRATE HIS SKILL AT PERFORMING A SHORT FIELD LANDING DURING A PREEMPLOYMENT EVALUATION FLIGHT TO BECOME A GLIDER TOW PILOT. ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT DESCENDED TO BETWEEN 10 AND 15 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, 200 FEET SHORT OF THE THRESHOLD, AND THE AIRCRAFT STALLED. THE WIND WAS CALM.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 399 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 268 in the last 90 days; 98 in the last 30 days; 344 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,120 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 1995; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Valet Air
The flight
- Departed from: HMT CA at 7:15 pm
- Destination: HMT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,045 ft by 20 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.