Bellanca 7ACA accident near Homestead, Florida, July 18, 1983
On July 18, 1983, a Bellanca 7ACA, registered N68556, was substantially damaged in an accident near Homestead, Florida. 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1983
- Place
- Homestead, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ACA · all 7ACAs on the register
- Registration
- N68556 · no longer on the register · serial 62-72
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE 'TOPPED OFF' HIS FUEL TANK WITH 12 GAL OF FUEL AT HOMESTEAD, FL. HE THEN FLEW TO THE PORT LARGO ARPT AT KEY LARGO, FL AND TO THE MARATHON ARPT, MARATHON, FL, BUT DID NOT REPORT OBTAINING ADDITIONAL FUEL. WHILE EN ROUTE BACK TO HOMESTEAD, THE ENG LOST POWER. DURING A LANDING IN A CYPRESS SWAMP, THE LANDING GEAR SUNK IN DEEP MUD & THE ACFT NOSED OVER, AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED NO PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE, EXCEPT THAT THE CABLE FROM THE BATTERY TO THE STARTER WAS BROKEN THRU 70% OF THE WIRES. THE PLT NOTED THAT THE STARTER WOULD NOT TURN THE PROPELLER WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENG. ALSO, THE ELT BATTERY WAS OVERDUE FOR A CHANGE & THE ELT DID NOT WORK. HOWEVER, THE DOWNED ACFT WAS SPOTTED BY ANOTHER PLT & AN AIR FORCE HELICOPTER WAS DISPATCHED TO EVACUATE THE PLT & PASSENGER. THE ENG WOULD CONSUME APRX 3.7 GAL/HR AT 75% POWER.
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: 230 hours in all; 17 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 860 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 4, 1983; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 2A-120-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTH Marathon FL
- Destination: X 51 Homestead Gnrl. FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.