Bellanca 7KCAB accident near Tucson, Arizona, April 23, 1996
On April 23, 1996 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Bellanca 7KCAB, registered N333JS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona (Avra Valley airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to adequately compensate for gusting crosswind conditions and to maintain directional control. A factor in the accident was unattended construction equipment parked in close proximity to the runway edge.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1996 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Avra Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N333JS · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern and noted that the windsock was indicating calm winds. He completed the normal rectangular traffic pattern with no indications of the wind conditions changing. During touchdown a gust of wind from the west raised the right wing, allowing the airplane to drift left. The pilot unsuccessfully attempted to correct the drift and then attempted a go-around. The pilot aborted the go-around when he saw a back hoe in his path. The airplane's left wing then collided with the back hoe, which was parked unattended about 20 to 30 feet from the runway's edge. After the accident, the winds were noted to shift periodically with gusts above 15 miles per hour.
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: 157 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 157 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-320-E2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 40E CA at 2:55 pm
- Destination: E14
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 6,901 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from TUS, 23 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N333JS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.