Bellanca 8GCBC accident near Pensacola, Florida, April 25, 2005
On April 25, 2005 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, registered N53954, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pensacola, Florida (Coastal Airport). It was an other work-use 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
The pilot misjudged his altitude and distance resulting in an overrun. Also causal was the pilot's failure to execute a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 2005 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pensacola, Florida · Coastal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N53954 · registry record · serial 197-76
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the NTSB "Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report" form, the aircraft was fast on landing which resulted in a long landing. The pilot applied excessive braking as the end of the runway was approaching causing the aircraft to nose over. A pilot-rated witness on the airport reported the aircraft appeared to make a "...high, overshooting turn to final." The airplane was then observed to be making "S" turns, followed by an "... aggressive side-slip maneuver to lose excess altitude." The aircraft leveled out and "floated" past my position which was located at the midfield point. The airplane touchdown, bounced, and traveled another 200 to 300 feet before touching down again in a two point landing. The aircraft rolled approximately 100 feet before the tail began to rise, and the propeller contacted the ground.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,460 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 83J Pensacola FL
- Destination: 83J Pensacola FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N53954 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.